SIRS at the Movies

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2011 Current Releases

Updated 1/31/12

Note that all movies in January and early February will be considered 2011 movies because they are eligible for the 2011 Academy Awards.

This is the year of great movies adapted from best selling books. Three examples are WATER FOR ELEPHANT, THE HELP, and SARAH'S KEY. Each is every bit as good as the book and should not be missed.


It's very difficult with contemporary comedies to draw the line between crude and tasteless versus funny and entertaining. I'll avoid the obviously gross and perverted but some of the irreverent comedies, if you can get passed the explicit sexual situations and the language, are truly funny.
In my reviews, over the top gross and tasteless content will out trump funny, and I consider these movies worthless.
However I do go to see certain modern comedies with an open mind and find some very funny and entertaining. Two recent examples are  BRIDESMAIDS AND HORRIBLE BOSSES.
Where I drew the line, where lewd and tasteless outweighs comedy, was BAD TEACHER. There are funny parts but a few gross sequences turned me off for the whole experience.
Individual taste and capacity for current day humor varies greatly and I would love to hear feedback about your take on these movies.
 
Thank God for CineArts Theater at Monument Blvd in Pleasant Hill Ca and other similar theaters, which has continually offered an excellent variety of limited release and foreign movies. Recently MIDNIGHT IN PARIS and THE FIRST GRADER are prime examples, while BLACK SWAN and the GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO trilogy were examples last year. Don't be afraid to view the limited release films. You may discover an Academy Award winner.

January 2012:

ALBERT NOBBS -Starring Glenn Close, Janet McTeer, Mia Wasilkowska, Aaron Johnson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
Albert Nobbs (Close) has been posing as a man for 30 years. Albert works as a waiter at a Dublin hotel for the genteel during the later years  of the 19th century. She is deathly afraid that her true gender will be uncovered and takes great precautions to keep it secret.
A man, Hubert Page (McTeer), appears on the scene to paint a room of the hotel, and Nobbs is asked to share her bedroom with him. Page discovers that Albert is a woman, and shocks her by divulging that she is also a woman, pretending to be a man to make a living wage. Furthermore Hubert is married to another woman in a secretive lesbian relationship.
Albert dreams of a similar relationship with Helen (Wasilkowska), a pretty maid at the hotel, and envisions them buying a tobacco shop with Albert's significant savings, accumulated over of a 30 year career.
There are serious obstacles to attaining this dream, causing a dramatic impact on all involved.
This is a sad tale of hidden lesbianism in the Victorian Age, with outstanding performances by Glenn Close and Janet McTeer. If you're looking for an uplifting experience this may not be it, however it is brilliant portrayal of the struggles of women to survive in a world dominated by men and intolerant of gay relationships. Outstanding performance by Glen Close, who has campaigned to make this movie for years.                    B


MAN ON A LEDGE - Starring Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie, Jamie Bell.
Nick Cassidy (Worthington) is imprisoned for the theft of a rare diamond, a crime that he didn't commit. He is allowed to attend the funeral of his father and escapes. In order to prove his innocence Cassidy climbs on a ledge to attach attention away from a plot unfolding across the street, to capture the rare diamond from the owner and prove it was not stolen. The plot is being carried out by Nick's brother, Joey (Bell) and his girl friend, while Nick remains on the ledge, winning the support of police negotiator Lydia Mercer (Banks).
This is a better than average thriller, which certainly holds your attention, and keeps you riveted on Cassidy as he sways and stumbles on the ledge to take attention away from the  caper. It's solid entertainment and certainly worth the visit.                                                            B-


THE GREY - Starring Liam Neeson, Dallas Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, James Badge Dale.
John Ottway (Neeson) works for an oil company in the far reaches of Alaska, protecting the facility from the wild life (e.g.wolves). He is distraught over the loss of his wife and contemplates suicide. On a break he travels by plane on route to Anchorage when it crashes in the wilderness of Alaska, leaving 7 men alive to fend for themselves. 
The weather is treacherous but the group starts a fire, collects useful belongings and sets up camp, only to be attached by a vicious wolf pack, bent on revenge for having their territory violated.
The group travels on foot to distant woods for protection, continually being pursued by the wolves. During the trial the men share their past and what they hold most dear while terrified by their impending fate.
This is a typical survival movie with many scary sequences imbedded in dialogue about the group's lives and loved ones.
The sudden attacks put you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next, but the dialogue is a bit tedious and the ending quite predictable. THE GREY has some entertainment value, particularly if you cherish being scared out of you pants, but in total, pretty average for a survival film.                        C+


HAYWIRE - Starring Gina Carano, Channing Tatum, Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Antonio Banderas, Michael Fassbender.
Mallory Kane (Carano) is a top security contractor working for a private company, assigned "black ops" in all the dirty corners of the world. She is given an assignment to rescue a dissident Chinese journalist being held captive in Barcelona. She completes the rescue but is double crossed by her company when the journalist is sold to an international crime cartel and Mallory is blamed for the crime and targetted for assassination.
Mallory's only means of survival is to uncover the truth and turn the tables on her adversaries.
HAYWIRE showcases Gina Carano, a world champion martial arts fighter, model, and TV personally, and the best female bad-ass in movie history. Gina is the real deal, taking martial arts to a new plateau, while displaying a level of athleticism seldom seen on the scene. Her acting is very good and a great supporting cast complements her perfectly. She has an attractive freshness to her, much different from the actresses who attempt these action roles. No stunt doubles here.
The plot is entertaining but Gina Carano is worth the price of admission.  There will be a sequel.             B            
 

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE -Starring Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Viola Davis, Max von Sydow, John Goodman.
Oskar Schell (Horn) is a young boy with mild autism, whose father Thomas (Hanks) challenges him with investigative projects in NY City in order to develop his unusual talents. Thomas is at a meeting in the World Trade Center on 9/11 and leaves six messages on the home phone as  events in the buildings deteriorate.  Oskar hears the messages and becomes traumatized as his father dies in the attack, hiding the messages from his mother.
 He and his mother (Bullock) try to cope with the loss, but are continually haunted by the tragedy.
Oskar goes through his father's belongings and finds a key in a small envelope hidden in a vase. The envelope has the name 'Black" written on it, and Oskar sees this as a sign from his father, empowering him to find the lock that the key fits. 
He uses the yellow pages for the 5 boroughs to identify all people named Black in the city, and develops a plan to visit all of them to unlock the mystery.
He undertakes this journey with the help of his mute grandfather (von Sydow), who has surfaces after many years of estrangement. Oskar's travels result in many compelling experiences with people in the city and he ultimately receives closure for the death of his father.
The is a very touching story of loss and eventual recovery from the tragic event of 9/11, with great performances by young Thomas Horn, as well as Sandra Bullock and Max von Sydow. It is moving, gut wrenching and inspirational. Highly recommended.            A-


RED TAILS - Starring Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr, Nate Parker, David Oyelowo.
In 1944 the war in Europe was at it's peak with massive allied bombing of Germany resulting in enormous loss of bombers and pilots.
The Tuskegee project trained African American's as pilots, but due to extreme prejudice in the military. they were never given an opportunity to fight on the front lines.
With the loss of bombers accelerating an unorthodox method of bomber protection was established, with the Tuskegee airman serving as fighter support for the bombers. The group, particularly the 332nd Fighter Group, demonstrated bravery and courage in carrying out this critical mission.
This is the true story of their exploits. The good news is the story is compelling and the special effects in the fighting scenes are excellent.
The bad news is the over the edge melodramatics and the corny dialogue which reminds me of patriotic movies produced during WWII.
That being said it's good entertainment and a tribute to the courage of African Americans in  combating the enemy abroad and bigotry at home.                                                 B-


CARNAGE - Starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christopher Waltz, John C. Reilly.
Two 11 year olds have a fight in the playground and one loses a tooth in the process. The parents of the "victim" invite the parents of the "bully" to their house to discuss the incident. The discussions begin polite and cordial, but when their true colors show, the meeting deteriorates into verbal attacks with the "carnage" equally distributed to all.
This is a movie adapted from a french play and certainly feels like a play in every respect. The entire movie takes place in the apartment of Penelope (Foster) and Michael (Reilly). There are spirited exchanges and some funny sequences, and you will enjoy lively performances from 4 excellent actors. OK but not memorable.    B-      


CONTRABAND - Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kate Bechinsale, Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi, Caleb Landry Jones.
Chris Farraday (Wahlberg), after a career of smuggling contraband, has turned legitimate, selling alarm systems for a living. However his younger brother in-law Andy (Jones), following in his brother's footsteps, is forced to throw valuable contraband overboard when confronted by the police, and must make good to the drug lords or suffer the consequences.
In an effort to rescue Andy, Chris organizes his old team, and develops a plot to smuggle counterfeit US currency from Panama, to repay the drug lords. With his wife Kate (Beckinsale) and children threatened, he travels a dangerous path to avoid retaliation from the police and criminal drug cartel.
Action movies are Mark Wahlberg's forte  and he gives a good performance as usual. This is good entertainment and a solid adventure flick.                                                    B


THE IRON LADY - Starring Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Oliver Colman, Alexandra Roach.
This traces the life of Margart Thatcher (Streep) from humble beginnings as a grocer's daughter, graduating from Oxford, winning a seat in Parliament, and becoming the first female Prime Minister of the UK. It depicts her struggles in overcoming the barriers of class and gender to become one of the most powerful and revered women of the 20th century.
The movie is all about Meryl Streep, who gives one of her greatest performances as Margaret Thatcher. She has been  applauded as the finest actress of our era and there is no argument here, after another amazing role. She masterfully captures the strength, complexity, and sensitivities of a women who fought all odds in leading Britain out of a severe economic recession in the 1970's, while combating the threat of communism and socialism both home and abroad. The movie was good. Meryl Streep was magnificent.                                  B+


THE ARTIST - Starring Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell.
Firstly, let's get this out of the way, This is a black & white, silent movie. If that doesn't intrigue you, read no further.
This is another bit of nostalgia, joining MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, WAR HORSE, with this year's contribution.
In 1927, George Valentin (Dujardin) is a famous silent screen actor, whose career is peaking at the advent of "talkees". At a gathering of his young fans he bumps into Peppy Miller (Bejo), who gets photographed with him. Peppy is determined to make it in films and auditions for a dance part in Valentin's next movie. He notices her on set, and is taken by her beauty and determination.
Meanwhile, the industry is changing rapidly to sound. While Peppy embraces the change and grows in stardom, George stubbornly clings to silent movies, and his popularity rapidly deteriorates. eventually losing fame and fortune. Peppy, now a star, remembers her early infatuation with Valentin and tries to come to the rescue.
THE ARTIST is a masterpiece, impeccably recreating the art of silent movie making.
With no speech, the actors require a far greater level of acting and emoting, performed beautifully by Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo.
This is a great movie experience, very entertaining, capturing the essence of the silent movie era.           A


TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY - Starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Toby Jones, John Hurt, Mark Strong.
In 1973, as the Cold War dominated the international community, British Secret Service (MI6), code name Circus, was struggling to keep the UK secure. Its head, known as Control (Hurt) sends Jim Prideaux (Strong) to Hungary to meet with an informant who has critical info about a mole (double agent) in a high position in British Secret Service. The mission goes terribly wrong resulting in the firing of Control and his assistant George Smiley (Oldman).
However when new information surfaces about the mole, Smiley is commissioned by Circus to form a team to discover the identity of the double agent. There are 5 suspects all in top positions within Circus.  including Smiley himself. There are many twists and turns until the startling truth is revealed.
Well only the British can turn a great spy tale into a meandering, confusing melodrama, with a painfully slow path to conclusion. I had heard it was complex so I focused my brain for the challenge. It didn't work. I got the main plot but some of the detailed interplay among the characters was very confusing.
I'm sure if I took the time to read the book or see the movie again, I would be more enlightened. But I go to the movies for entertainment, not hard work.  See it and prove me wrong.                          C+


December 2011:

WAR HORSE - Starring Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestrup, David Thewles.
Albert Narracott (Irvine) is a young teen living with his parents in the farm country of Deven England prior to WWI.
His father Ted (Mullan) purchases a young stallion at the local horse auction, and is chastised by the townspeople and his wife for overpaying for a horse that is not strong enough to plow their land.
Albert befriends and trains the horse, he names Joey, who plows the field much to the surprise of the town.
WWI is declared and, due to financial difficulties, Albert's father is forced to sell Joey to the British Army.
Albert is heart broken but an army officer promises to care for Joey and make him his mount.
Joey embarks upon a myriad of adventures in WWI France culminating in The Battle of the Somme in 1918 where he becomes injured and  entwined in barb wire, but saved by an unlikely truce in 'no man's land'.
Steven Spielberg directs an epic adventure as only he can. It is a triumph in music and sound, vividly depicting the horror of a war where horses and men were slaughtered on a massive scale.
Some critics are calling WAR HORSE too corny and sappy, however we need great feel good movies, be they a bit sappy, to lift the movie industry from it's toilet humor and graphic violence funk.
My family loved the movie. Great visuals, good acting, and a great story, Go see and enjoy.                 A-


A DANGEROUS METHOD - Starring Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortenson, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Cassel.
IN 1904 a young psychiatrist, Carl Jung (Fassbender) takes on the challenge of his career in treating a deeply troubled and suicidal Russian women, Sabina Spielrein (Knightley). Jung is a student of the "talking cure" method, made famous by Sigmund Freud (Mortenson), known today as psycho analysis.
Jung's treatment is successful but he develops an intimate relationship with Sabina, in spite of being married with two children. Jung's stature rises to the level of Freud and they become friends and colleagues, spending many hours discussing Freud's preoccupation with sexuality as the route of all psychological conditions. 
Speilrein studies psychiatry under the tutorlage of both doctors and becomes a noted psychiatrist in her own right.
The movie is based upon the actual lives of the characters, including Otto Gross, another psychiatrist of the age.
The performance by Keira Knightley is remarkable, and enhances her resume as one of the best young actresses. Mischael Fassbender and Vigo Mortenson also have noteworthy performances.
This is a complex melodrama, with intense and somewhat disturbing sexual sequences, but the performance of Keira Knightley is so compelling that it will become a classic in cinema history. It also gives an excellent account of the birth of Freudian psychiatry.                                      B+


WE BOUGHT A ZOO - Starring Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Colin Ford, Elle Fanning, John Michael Higgins.
Benjamin Mee (Damon) is a recent widower who wants a dramatic change in his life. He buys a large home located in the country and he and his two children move their for a new adventure. The catch is that the property in actually a zoo in disrepair, and the stipulation of the purchase is that Mee must resurrect the zoo and retain the staff.
He embarks upon this quest much to the chagrin of his son Dylan (Ford) who is a troubled teen, resulting from the death of his mother.
Kelly (Johansson) is the zoo keeper, with a passion for animals, who leads a dedicated staff in caring for them. 
Mee and his new staff dive into the project with gusto, overcoming many obstacles, not the least of which is a pompous zoo inspector, Walter Ferris (Higgins), who is determined to prevent the zoo from reopening.
This is a true story and is a great family movie for the Holidays. Lots of fun sequences and an entertaining and inspiring tale for the Christmas Season.                                             B+


MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL - Starring Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Michael Nyqvist.
Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is framed for the bombing of the Kremlin and he and his IMF team are publicly disavowed by the US Government. However he is told by a high government official to form a team and undertake a highly secretive mission to prevent the capture of Russion nuclear launch codes by a brilliant but insane operative names Kurt Hendricks (Nyquist).
While receiving his new assignment, Hunt's car is brutally attacked killing the government Secretary. Hunt saves the life of William Brandt (Renner), a mysterious government analyst who was accompanying the Secretary.
Brandt joins his team as does agent Jane Carter (Patton) and junior agent Benji Dunn (Pegg).
The team embarks upon a wild adventure spanning Europe, Dubai, and India to head off the launching of a nuclear weapon destined for San Francisco, which, by design, will begin the destruction of the world.
This is the 4th in the series and is as breathtaking and riveting as the others.
There is a great supporting cast led by Jeremy Renner (HURT LOCKER, THE TOWN), and Paula Patton as a sexy but deadly agent.
Everything you would expect including outstanding special effects. Very entertaining.                        B


THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - Starring Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stelan Skarsgard, Robin Wright.
This is the movie version of the best selling novel of the same name.
Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) is an investigative reporter who loses a libel case against a famous businessman. With his reputation tarnished and his bank account empty, he is offered a job by Henik Vanger (Plummer) to solve the disappearance of his niece, Harriet, 40 years ago. The Vanger family is a wealthy and notorious family with ties to the Nazis during WW11.  Mikael moves to  Henik's residence, on an island only accessable via one bridge, and begins his investigation.
Lisbeth Salander (Rooney) is an expert computer hacker, with a photographic memory, who is on parole for illegal access to computer records. She hacks into Mikael's computer, becomes intrigued by his investigation, and accepts a position as his assistant.
The two dig deeply into the Vanger family history, uncovering a myriad of mysteries leading to the shocking truth of the disappearance of  Harriet Vanger,
This is one of the best murder mysteries in years.  It is true to the book (for the most part) and is a compelling mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Performances by Craig and Mara are outstanding, with Rooney Mara stealing the show as a punk rocker with a dark history. 
Beware of a disturbing rape scene early in the movie.
If this review sounds familiar it is very similar to the review I gave the Swedish version last year. They are  equally brilliant. To reiterate, it is not for the squeamish or those offended by graphic sex and violence. If you can handle that don't miss it.                                                             A


SHERLOCK HOLMES - A GAME OF SHADOWS -Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Jared Harris, Noomi Rapace, Rachel McAdams.
Sherlock's (Downery Jr.) brilliant mind and outrageous powers of deduction meet the ultimate challenge in Professor Moriarty, an equally brilliant adversary and diabolical villain, who is out to change the course of history. Moriarty is building a cadre of new weaponry, while he orchestrates the war between the French and Germans, in 1891, 23 years before WWI.
Holmes and reluctant partner Dr. Watson (who got married and is on his honeymoon), team up with Sim (Rapace), a gypsy fortune teller, whose brother is tied to Moriarty. The three go on an adventure, across continents, to stop Moriarty's plot and save the world.
This is vintage Sherlock Holmes with a great plot to display his skills. Excellent special effects and good use of slow motion to project Holmes' powers of deduction in his crusade against a most dangerous villain.  
Noomi Rapace (Star of the Swedish version of GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) makes her debut in the US and adds much color  to the role of Sim.
This is a fun movie, as good as the first, and solid entertainment.                             B


YOUNG ADULT - Starring Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Patton Oswalt, Elizabeth Reaser.
Marvis Gary (Theron) is 37 years old living alone in Minneapolis. Her career as a writer of teen's books is on a downward spiral and she is lonely, depressed, and troubled. She receives an announcement on Facebook that her former High School sweetheart, Buddy Slade (Wilson), is married and having a baby.  She suddenly has a delusion that he is unhappy and reaching out to her. She remembers the glory days when she was prom queen, and the passionate relationship she enjoyed with Slade. She decides to pack up and move back to Mercury, MN, where she was born, and pursue the man of her dreams, despite him being married with a child.
Marvis contacts Buddy and he is happy to hear from her. All signals she receives from him, no matter how innocent, she interprets as positive.
While waiting in a bar for their rendezvous, she meets an old classmate, Matt (Oswalt), who was disabled in HS from a hate crime against him. She befriends him and shares her plan to win back Slade. Matt is shocked and knows Marvis needs psychiatric help, but stays close to her for support. 
Marvis travels down this delusional path until her plan crashes in flames. This is an awakening of sorts, challenging her to put the past behind her and build a new beginning.
This movie is all about Charlize Theron, one of the most beautiful women in the world, and a fine actress, with talent to bring widely diverse roles to life (MONSTER, NORTH COUNTRY). This is no exception with Theron giving an excellent performance as a deeply troubled woman seeking happiness in the past. It's worth the visit for Theron's performance alone.                                            B-


LIKE CRAZY - Starring Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence.
Anna (Jones), a British student attending college in America, meets a classmate Jacob (Yelchin), and they fall madly in love. Failing to take advice from her parents, she decides to overstay her visa and remain in the country for the summer with Jacob. This proves to be a fatal mistake, since US Immigration refuses to allow her back into the country. This puts an enormous strain on their intense, yet fragile relationship through the long periods of separation that follow.
This is a heartfelt and poignant story of the fragile nature of young love, and the difficulties with maintaining a love relationship when unanticipated obstacles (in this case separation) come into play.
Outstanding performances by both Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin in capturing the essence of the complexity and intensity of the  relationship.   Very profound and highly recommended.                                 B+


NEW YEAR'S EVE  - Starring Hilary Swank, Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Abigail Breslin, Robert DiNero, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker.
Directed by Garry Marshall, this romatic comedy depicts the intertwining lives of many New Yorkers, seeking romance and fulfillment on New Year's Eve. It leads up to the climatic lowering of the ball (globe) at Time Square at midnight.
Despite an overwhelming array of stars, the story falls short in both comedy and romance. Hilary Swank's performance is a highlight, playing Clare Morgan, the manager in charge of festivities at Time Square, and Lea Michele (of GLEE fame) is memorable in her first film role.
It's a cute movie that is worth seeing for the star quality, but should not be confused with a great romantic comedy.                                                              C+


MY WEEK WITH MARILYN - Starring Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Julia Ormond, Judy Dench, Emma Watson.
This is the true story of Colin Clark (Redmayne), who befriended Marilyn Monroe during her 3 month stay in England while filming THE PRINCE AND THE SHOW GIRL. Marilyn (Williams), co-staring with Sir Lawrence Olivier, is deeply insecure and troubled about her acting ability and her life in general. She is totally intimidated by Olivier and the proper British company, seeking comfort and friendship from Colin Clark, a third assistant director (basically a "go-for").
The film is a masterpiece in showcasing a Marillyn Monroe on her path toward destruction, finding brief happiness with a week's interlude with 23 year old Clark. Michelle Williams gives a masterful performance and will definitely receive an Oscar nomination. Eddie Redmayne (who starred in PILLARS OF THE EARTH) is compelling as the young infatuated Colin, and Kenneth Branagh captures the arrogant and controlling Olivier perfectly.
One of the year's best movies and a must see.                                       A


November 2011:

THE DESCENDANTS - Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Mary Birdsong, Nick Krause, Robert Forster.
Matt King (Clooney) is an average husband with two young daughters, when a boat accident in Honolulu puts his wife in a coma. Left with caring for and focusing on his daughters, who are disfunctional in many ways, he discovers that his wife was cheating on him, and his disinterest in his children have caused them many emotional problems.
Matt confronts these issues while deciding whether to sell the family's prime real estate in Kauai, which was left to the family by Hawaiian royalty. While his wife continues to deteriorate. he rebuilds his relationships with his daughters and becomes the father he should have been.
This is George Clooney at his best, giving an Oscar level performance, supported by an excellent cast. The movie is a comedy, a tragedy of sorts, and a complex drama of a family's search for stability during a tragic period of their lives. Highly recommended.                                                 A


HUGO - Starring Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sacha Cohen, Ben Kingsley, Jude Law
A young orphan lives in a Paris train station, responsible for winding the large chocks of the station, a job which he inherits from his late uncle. Hugo (Butterfield) is distraught over the death of his father, who was a clock master, teaching Hugo the Art.
While traveling through the secret passageways of the station, Hugo discovers a mystery that will change his life forever, while uncovering the life and accomplishments of George Melies (Kingsley), a pioneer in film making.
There was much hype about this movie and we went with high expectations. The theater was packed with families.
Well it didn't work for me. In a word b-o-r-i-n-g. Very slow moving plot in typical British fashion and a long movie in which you are expecting something spectacular to happen and never does.
Very little reaction from the kids in the audience, who were all sorry they didn't see THE MUPPET MOVIE instead.
Not worth the time and effort.                                                    C


TWILIGHT SAGA - BREAKING DAWN PART I   - Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Kellan Lutz, Ashley Green.
Belle (Stewart) and Edward (Pattinson) get married, facing unknown risks in joining vampire and human. Following a steamy honeymoon, Belle learns she is pregnant, but not a normal pregnancy since a fetus that is half vampire is much stronger and grows much faster, placing Belle's life in jeopardy.
Jacob (Lautner), who has always been in love with Belle,  is furious, not only because of the marriage but the risk that Edward has inflicted upon Belle.
Jacob's clan (werewolves) decides they must eliminate the baby and break the treaty with the Cullen's (vampires), embarking upon a war of the two clans.
If you're not a TWILIGHT SAGA freak, you won't have a clue what I'm talking about. This is the 4th in the series, adapted from the best selling books, and is the weakest of the four.
While the chemistry between Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson continue to be excellent, Taylor Lauter (Jacob) is laughable as an actor, and his serious scenes are comical. Pattinson is an accomplished actor as displayed in WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, but a shallow plot and Lautner's ineptitude, negatively impact the quality of the movie experience.
However, the rating doesn't matter if you're a member of the Twilight cult, and virually every teen will stand on long lines to see it. My 13 year old granddaughter went with her friends at midnight to see it on opening night.
If you like the series you will, and must, see this. If not, forget it. If you see it without knowing the background from the books and/or the earlier episodes, you will be totally lost anyway.                           C+
  


THE IMMORTALS - Starring Henry Carvil, Freida Pinto, Mickey Rourke, John Hurt.
In 1228 BC (mythology) King Hyperion (Rourke) is determined to conquer Greece and capture the lost Bow of Epirus, which will give him the power to overthrow the Gods of Olympus and become the ruler of the world.
Theseus (Carvil) is a peasant who has a chance meeting with the true Oracle, Phaedra (Pinto), who identifies him in a vision, as the human who will save the world from the evil Hyperion. Theseus, and a small band of patriots,  confront the army of King Hyperion, and with the help of the Gods, i.e. Zeus and his gang, fight to save the future of humanity.
Well, you get what you expect, a bloodbath of battles enhanced with special effects, that are no more special than those seen in other similar flicks. The difference here is the unbelievably poor acting (except for Rourke, who plays these villain roles well), and the totally over the edge slow motion bloodletting. The plot is laughable, with the Gods coming to the defense of the humans, against King Hyperion, who frees the Titans to join him, blah, blah, blah.
Yes, I talked my wife into seeing this with me because I'm a sucker for these mob scenes, and it was a big mistake. This is a movie that my late father would call a "pip a rue" and that is an apt description.
The only redeeming value is the special effects, but you can see similar ones in any of the contemporary mythical movies, e.g. 300, HARRY POTTER, LORD OF THE RING. A thorough waste of time and money.    C-   

        

J EDGAR HOOVER - Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Judy Dench.
This is the life history of  one of the most complex, controversial, and powerful men in American History.
It tracks his early years as an anti -communist agent, his mercurial rise at age 39 as Director of the Bureau of Investigation, and his creation of the FBI in 1935. Hoover served in this position for 37 years ending with his death in 1972.
The movie portrays Hoover as a rigid, obsessive, introvert with a "mama's boy" devotion to his mother, and suffering from sexual inhibitions. However it credits Hoover with establishing finger prints, crime scene strategy, and an effective,  efficient, and secretive crime fighting organization that remains a major force in America today.
Hoover is portrayed as an egotist who takes personal credit for the achievements of his staff, crediting himself with the personal capture of many criminals, and in solving the murder of the Lindburgh baby.
It details Hoover's secret files, the content of which was feared by every leader in the country through Richard Nixon.
The movie may stray off the path of accuracy a few times, such as the bugging of Robert Kennedy's bedroom, but gives an accurate  assessment of the person and the complexities of his life and personality.
Leonardo DiCaprio gives an Oscar level performance as Hoover, and Naomi Watts is excellent as his loyal personal secretary, Helen Gandy , whe destroys his secret files after his death.
Armie Hammer does well in the role of Clyde Tolson, Hoover's Assistant Bureau Director, who Hoover loved, in a non consummated gay relationship.
As a history buff, I loved the movie and the  history lesson regarding an American legend, who was larger than life. A must see for all who enjoy historically accurate (mostly) and compelling cimema.       A


MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE - Starring Elizabeth Olsen, John Hawkes, Sarah Paulsen, Hugh Dancy.
Martha (Olsen) escapes from a commune where she has been held under its charismatic leader Patrick (Hawkes). She shows up on the doorstep of her older sister, Lucy (Paulsen) and her husband Ted (Dancy), who take her in and try to unravel the mystery of her existence the last 3 years. 
Martha is a troubled young woman trying to unravel her cult experience while attempting to cope with the real world. Lucy and Ted try to help but Martha's paranoia about the cult pursuing her, and her bizarre behavior in exhibiting aspects of her cult existence, are too much to bear. This leads her sister to seek professional help, potentially committing her to an institution.
The four names in the tittle are the names she takes while undertaking this chilling journey. Martha is her given name. Marcy May her cult name, and Marlene is presumably the name she chooses for her new life.
Elizabeth Olsen is excellent as Martha and the plot really holds your interest. It's difficult to say anything further without giving away the ending, but it is a unique movie that some will appreciate and others will be totally mysterfied. Like it or not you will discuss it often after the experience.                        C+


TOWER HEIST - Starring Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda, Casey Affleck, Mathew Broderick, Tea Leoni.
Josh Kovacs (Stiller) manages one of the most luxurious and well secured residences in NYC. He is scrupulous in his management and nothing goes undetected.
Arthur Shaw (Alda) lives in a luxurious suite atop the building. He is a Wall St tycoon who is under house arrest  after stealing 2 billion $$ from investors. Among those that he defrauded are the entire Tower staff, who lost their pensions to Shaw's deception.
Josh learns that Shaw has $20 MM hidden in his penthouse and creates a very unlikely team to break into Shaw's residence and steal the money. He hires a local petty crook, Slide (Murphy) to assist in the heist.
Though amateurs, they know the building inside out, and embark upon an elaborate plan to seize $$ rightfully owed to them.
This is the most hyped comedy of the year and I was expecting a laugh a second comedy, featuring a great cast led by Stiller and Murphy. It had it's moments but fell short of expectations, especially when Eddie Murphy was not in the scene.
It is certainly an OK comedy highlighted by a vintage Murphy performance, and is worth a visit. I simply expected more.                                      B-


October 2011 :

IN TIME - Starring Amanda Seyfried, Justin Timberlake, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, Vincent Kartheiser.
Sometime in the future 'time' replaces money as currency. People stop aging at 25 years old, at which time they receive one additional year of time. They can live indefinitely by purchasing or earning more time.
Will Salas (Timberlake) lives in the poor "time zone" where people fight for every minute in order to survive. There are multiple time zones based upon how rich one is in accumulated time, (remember there is no money). 
Will meets a person who is tired of living and gives him over 100 years of time. However this makes Will a marked man, sought after by bad guys trying to steal his time.
Will pays to cross the time zones into the rich section, known as New Greenwich. Here he meets Sylvia Weis (Seyfried), a beautiful rich heiress, and the two embark upon a crusade to change the "corrupt" system by distributing time equally across the masses.
Raymond Leon (Murphy) is a policeman of sorts, known as The Timekeeper. His job is the maintain the status quo of the society and insure that wealth (i.e. time) is not stolen from individuals. He pursues Will and Sylvia as thieves trying to alter society.
Well it doesn't take a genius to figure out the motive of the producers: To destroy capitalism (the present society) and create a socialistic society where wealth (in this case 'time'), is shared among the populace. 
Take from the rich and give to the poor (sound familiar?)
Well the absurdity of the concept, the blatant socialist message, and the lousy acting, particularly by Amanda Seyfried, results in a colossal mess of a movie. This is one of those movies with a subliminal message that either works or not. This one doesn't work for me and the added feature of embracing socialism as the answer to a just society shoves it over the abyss.
Saving it from a D or F is the innovative notion of time replacing money, which is interesting until the absurdity of the concept takes hold. If curious do a rental or wait until it shows on TV.                          C-

ANONYMOUS - Starring Rhys Ifans, Jamie Campbell Bower, Vanessa Redgrave, Sebastian Armesto, Rafe Spall. David Theulis, Edward Hogg, Joey Richardson, Derek Jocobi.
Amid the political intrigue of the court of Elizabeth I of England, the works of William Shakespeare are unveiled, and are embraced by all elements of the populace. But were they really written by Shakespeare or was he simply a pawn in a deception that goes to the heart of English succession to the Crown. There has been many books written and theories put forward by historians researching this very question.
ANONYMOUS gives a plausible alternative history to these events surrounding Shakespeare and the English Crown. However it is a fantasy with little evidence to base a theory.
Having said that, the movie is entertaining and, if you like conspiracy theories and alternative history senarios, it is quite compelling.
I had two problems with the plot. First it takes the idea of alterative history to a new level of fantasy, particularly surrounding the alleged illegitimate children of Elizabeth.
Secondly, it jumps back and forth from the early Elizabeth era to 40 years hence, 1600 -1602, during Elizabeth last years. However it takes half the movie to figure out who is who, particularly regarding the Edward de Vere character (Ifans/Bower). Also the portrayal of Shakespeare as a somewhat illiterate impostor, is very hard to digest. If you like historical fiction and are willing to sort out the characters, it is entertaining.         B-


FIREFLIES IN THE GARDEN - Starring Ryan Reynolds, Willem Defoe, Emily Watson, Julia Roberts, Hayden Panettiere.
The Taylors are a seemingly average mid-western family until a serious auto accident shocks the family and brings back devastating memories of the past. Charles Taylor is a tenured professor who was a brutal, domineering father to his son Michael (Reynolds). Michael, now a successful romance novelist, suffers  deeply from his strained relationship with his father. Lisa Taylor (Roberts) is a loving mother to Michael, constantly trying to mitigate the impact of Charles' abuse. She is the victim of the accident that devastates the family.
Jane Lawrence (Panettiere/Watson) is Lisa's younger sister who also witnesses the father's brutal behavior and befriends Michael.
This is a family melodrama that develops the characters well and vividly portrays the life and struggles of a disfunctional family pulled apart by a tragic accident. The past and present sequences are a bit hard to follow early in the movie but once the characters (past and present) take shape, it is a compelling movie.  William Defoe's performance as the troubled father is particularly noteworthy.                    B     


THE MIGHTY MACS - Starring Carla Gugino, David Boreanaz, Ellen Burstyn, Marley Shelton.
In 1971, Cathy Rush (Gugino) has a passion for basketball and in an effort to grow as a person, when woman were expected to stay at home, she applies for a head coaching job at a small little known college, Immaculata.
Cathy's husband, Ed (Boreanaz) is a pro basketball referee, but has issues with his wife's new job.
In a interview with Mother St. John (Burstyn), the president of Immaculata, Cathy learns that girls basketball is not a priority with the college and there are no facilities or equipment for the team.
Cathy is determined to create a team with a winning attitude, using trust and teamwork as the elements to succeed.
She is assisted by a young nun, Sister Sunday (Shelton), who brings energy and commitment to the program.
After losing early in the season the team jells, beginning a journey to the 1st women's national tournament.
This is a true cinderella story and a most unlikely success story. It's fun for the whole family and has a message of inspiration for those who champion the underdog.
The movie is not in the same league as HOOSIERS, the best basketball movie ever, but is entertaining and worth the trip.                                           B-


FOOTLOOSE - Starring Kenny Wormaid, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid.
In the small southern town of Bomont, a tragic car accident kills 5 teens, who are returning from a dance. The town is in shock, and the town council, led by a highly respected Christian minister, Rev, Moore (Quaid), passes an ordinance banning all dancing, unless heavily supervised by the adult community.
Three years later, Ren (Wormaid) and his family move to Bomont, where he meets Ariel (Hough), a local beauty and daughter of Rev. Moore, who is involved with a local race car driver.
Ren, learning his dance moves in Boston, is astounded to learn about the dance ban, and starts a revolt by the High School students to lift the ban.
This is a remake of the original which starred Kevin Bacon, and is a surprisingly good dance movie, with fine acting by both Wormaid and Julianne Hough, who was a professional dancer on DANCING WITH THE STARS, until venturing into the movie world. In her first acting role she is suburb and has the whole package to become a future star. We are a bit bias because we are big fans of dance, but FOOTLOOSE is quality light entertainment which is worth a visit.                                           B


IDES OF MARCH - Starring Ryan Goslin, George Clooney, Marisa Tomei, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood.
The movie centers around an Ohio Democrat Primary race with Gov. Morris (Clooney) leading going into the vote. Stephen Myers (Goslin) is his young energetic assistant campaign manager, who is well respected in the political ranks. Working for Hoffman's character, who plays Morris's campaign manager, he has undying faith in Morris until he uncovers a sandal involving an attractive intern (sound familiar?). Myers is approached by the opposition's campaign manager (Giamatti), who offers him a job during a secretive meeting. Myers agonizes over the decision, having moral misgivings about Gov. Morris.
This is a compelling political drama with a great cast, all of whom give excellent performances. This is a new role for Ryan Goslin, who usually plays romantic comedy roles, and he excels as the central character. Many twists and turns along the way and very entertaining. There will be Oscar nominations.                B+


REAL STEEL - Starring Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly.
The movie is adapted from a 1956 short story written by Richard Matheson.
Charlie Kenton (Jackman), a former boxer, is in the business of building robots for fighting in the ring. In a future time this has become a popular sport, pitting all sizes and types of robots against one another for sport and wagering. Charlie is a failure in the business, owing money to many unsavory characters and broke. His son,  of a previous marriage, Max (Goyo) becomes passionate about the business and while searching for spare parts,  they find a robot named Atom, cast away in a junk yard.
Parallels between Atom and Rocky Balboa are unmistakable, i.e. too small, takes a punch, down and out.
Charlie begins the process of "training" the robot with boxing techniques, and turns him loose in the ring, eventually scheduling him to fight the invincible Zeus.
This is ROCKY with Robots and would never work if not for top performances by Hugh Jackman (as always), Dakota Goyo, as impressive child actor, and even Evangeline Lilly (of LOST fame), who plays Charlie's faithful girlfriend.
It's the top box office draw for three weeks running and is a fun movie, not to be taken too seriously, but surprisingly entertaining. Some strong language but kids at the theater really loved it.
Definitely worth the experience.                                     B-


50-50 - Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogan, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston.
Adam (Gordon-Levitt) is living a great life, with a beautiful and talented girlfriend, a great job, and a fun social life. When Adam discovers he has a rare form of cancer that is possibly fatal, his life begins to unravel.
His family and friends are trying to support him in unusual ways. His mother is overbearing, his girlfriend tries to  be there for him but is unable to cope with the stress, and his 'grad student' therapist struggles to find a way to support him. Adam's best friend Kyle (Rogan) has an outrageous plan to use sympathy for his illness to pick up girls.
Though all of this Adam sees life in a totally different way, recognizing what love and true friendship really are.
This is based on a true story and is an inspiring journey through the shock and subsequent struggles of fighting cancer. Gordon-Levit is very good in the lead role, and Anna Kendrick gives a great performance as the inexperienced therapist who is determine to help Adam in his time of need.
Now the negative,  Seth Rogan's brand of crude, expletive-ladened humor diminishes every movie he's been in (my opinion), and this is no exception. I'm sure the young movie goers will disagree, since they are used to this cheap sexual toilet humor in every day life. Well it's not for me and turns an otherwise very good movie into a mixed experience. 50-50 has its merits and is worth a visit if you can disregard Rogan's tasteless antics.    B-


September 2011:

DREAM HOUSE - Starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts.
A successful publisher, Will Atenton (Craig) quits his NYC job and moves his family to a New England suburb to write a novel. With his wife Libby (Weisz) and their two young daughters they attempt to settle in, only to discover that the prior family who owned the house were murdered except for the father who was committed to a mental hospital. 
Will investigates the crime but receives no help from the police or other townspeople. Only a neighbor, Ann Paterson (Watts) is reluctantly willing to shed light on the event.
Will ventures down a path with many twists and turns to discover the frightening truth.
This is a classic psychological thriller that has you guessing on the edge of your seat throughout. Great cast with real life newlyweds Craig and Weisz (they met  on the set).
This is not a horror movie but a scary thiller which is great entertainment. Loved the twists.              B+


DOLPHIN TALE - Starring Harry Connick Jr, Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble. Cozi Zuehisdorff, Morgan Freeman, Kris Kristofferson.
This is the inspiring true story of a young dolphin, caught in a crab trap, severely damaging her tail. She is rescued and transported to Clearwater Marine Hospital where she is named Winter. She is befriended by a young boy, Sawyer (Gamble) and is cared for by a team of marine biologists led by Dr, Clay Hashett (Connick Jr.).
Winter is progressing but, without a tail she is damaging her spinal cord that would lead to death.
Led by the ingenuity of a leading prosthetics doctor, Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Freeman), a prosthetic tail is developed, using a new substance that becomes a groundbreaking discovery, helping many disabled people throughout the world.
The real Winter, who plays herself in the movie, has inspired millions of people with disabilities giving them hope, courage, and a symbol of perseverance.
DOLPHIN TALE is a great inspirational family movie that is pure entertainment. Sure it's a bit corny in parts and is as predictable as most non fiction movies are. But it is the "feel good" movie of the summer, and is appropriate for all ages. Highly recommended.                                              B



MONEY BALL - Starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright.
Following the 2001 baseball season, in which the Oakland A's lost in the playoffs, the team is decimated by stars leaving for free agency, Billy Beane (Pitt) has no budget to compete with the large market teams, and needs to develop a new strategy to survive. He hires Peter Brand (Hill), an Ivy League nerd who is an expert in   
statistical analysis of players projected capability based upon prior results.
Beane uses this philosophy and ties a $$ value to each player to determine the most efficient use of his limited resources. This causes conflict with his staff and scouting committee who prescribe to the traditional means of player evaluation. Beane fires his head scout, has ongoing differences with the teams manager Art Howe (Hoffman). but embarks upon this new path to build a winning team for the 2002 season.
Brad Pitt gives a great performance as Billy Beane, and the movie is very entertaining despite twisting the truth somewhat. There is much controversy about the portrayal of Art Howe, who many feel is unjustifiably vilified. However, even if you know nothing about baseball and its history, this is quality entertainment that you will enjoy.
A side note, Billy Beane's kids are in my grandson's preschool class.                           B+


KILLER ELITE - Starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert DeNiro, Yvonne Strahovski.
A shiek, whose sons were killed in the war in Yemen, kidnaps Hunter (DeNiro), a former special ops agent, in order to draw Danny Bryce (Statham) out of retirement to do his bidding. Bryce, whose mentor was Hunter, must kill the 3 assassins who were responsible for the Shiek's sons deaths, to free his friend Hunter.
The assassins are members of a rogue British special ops unit, who are determine to kill Bryce before he kills them.
This is a non-stop action movie with a complex plot. Basically there are no good guys, just various shades of nasty. Very violent, great action scenes and special effects, and the movie displays Statham's talent as one  of cinema's leading bad asses. DeNiro and Clive Owen are also entertaining as special ops tough guys.
If violent action is your thing this will entertain. I found it better than DRIVE, which was rated higher by some critics.                                                B-


STRAW DOGS - Starring James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard, James Woods.
David Summer (Marsden), a screenwriter, and Amy Summer (Bosworth), his actress wife, move to a small Southern town. Amy's father has died leaving a farmhouse to be prepared for sale, while David seeks some quiet time to write a novel.
Amy's ex-boyfriend Charlie (Skarsgard) and his redneck friends bid to repair the farmhouse roof and begin work. However Charlie's passion for Amy and his friends distaste for David, as a rich outsider, lead to confrontation, culminating in a battle for survival.
This is a violent thriller that certainly holds your interest. James Woods plays a nasty role as the former football coach of Charlie and his gang, and instigator of the final confrontation. This is not for the timid because the violence is brutal and graphic, but the movie scores well for entertainment value.              B- 


DRIVE - Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman.
Driver (Gosling) is a movie stunt driver by day, and a "driver for hire" for criminal activity at night. He is a loner, but meets his next door neighbor, Irene (Mulligan) and her young son, and develops a relationship, eventually falling in love. Irene's husband, Standard, gets released from jail and rejoins Irene and son, much to the chagrin  of Driver. However Driver feels sympathy for Standard, who owes $$ to bad guys for protection in prison, and agrees to be the driver for a heist of a pawn shot, where $1MM in stolen loot is hidden.
All goes bad and Driver must go on the offense to protect Irene and himself from the mob.
The Driver character is low keyed, one step above comatose, and spends most of the movie emoting, with long periods of staring into space. It is a very slow moving movie, except for the sequences of extreme violence, and the totally unnecessary scene with artificially enhanced strippers.
The music was annoying and not in sync with the movie, and the plot had you wondering whether anyone would survive including yourself.
Movies are in the eye of the beholder and I read one user critic who said it was the best movie of the year. He is now spending time in a mental home suffering from delusional paranoia.
A total waste of time. Shame on Gosling and Mulligan who are two good actors.                         C-


WARRIOR - Starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison.
Paddy Conlon (Nolte) is a recovering alcoholic and wife abuser, who is estranged from his two sons. One son, Tommy (Hardy) is an ex-Marine with a mysterious past in Iraq who, as a child, ran away from home with his mother to escape his abusive father. He returns to reluctantly solicit help from his father, a former fight trainer, to enter a mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament. but remains bitter toward him.
The second son Brendan is a physics HS teacher who, with his wife Tess, cannot make ends meet, leaving his home close to forecloser. As a former unsuccessful MMA fighter, he also begins training to compete in the same MMA tournament. In the past Brendan chose to stay with his father because he was dating Tess, his future wife. This has caused great bitterness between the two brothers. 
Brendan's unlikely rise as the tournament underdog puts him on a collision course with his brother, forcing them to face the issues that tore them apart.
I expected a second rate MMA fight movie and found one of the best sports movies in years, rivaling THE FIGHTER from 2010. This is the surprise movie of the summer with great acting by Hardy and Edgerton, and a Oscar worthy performance by Nick Nolte as best supporting actor.
I'm really happy for Nolte whose acting career had fallen into the abyss.
MMA is a brutal sport which is well portrayed here. But don't let this deter you. It is a compelling life story of a family torn by events of the past and their struggles to obtain closure. Don't miss it.                  A-


CONTAGION - Starring Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lawrence Fishburne.
Beth Emhoff (Paltrow) is returning from a business trip to Hong Kong via Chicago, and contracts a mysterious virus. Within days the virus spreads in China, Chicago, and Emhoff's home town of Minneapolis. The world health community mobilizes to attempt to find the origin of the virus and develop a vaccine. 
The virus is highly contagious, has a 25% death rate, and spreads rapidly throughout the world. The International disease control agencies are in a race against time as society begins to panic, falling into anarchy.
This is a very realistic portrayal of events that could arise from such a threat. The strategies employed by the health community, police and military, and government leaders are real, as well as the growing lawfulness displayed by a desperate population.
This is a solid movie with a great cast, depicting a catastrophic  event that could happen. The only weakness is that the reality of the story line somewhat diminishes the drama and suspense that similar movies have offered.
Nonetheless it's a very good flick and certainly worth a visit.                           B 


HIGHER GROUND - Starring Vera Famiga.
In a small town in the Bible Belt, 18 year old Carolyn (Farmiga) becomes infatuated with a local rocker, gets pregnant and eventually married. She has the child and travels with the rock band until the van they are driving swerves off the road into a lake. They barely escape and save their young daughter in the nick of time.
Carolyn and her husband feel that they were "saved by the Lord" and embrace a sect of fundamental Christianity, in which they practice with passion.
Eventually Carolyn's passion for living causes her to question the restricted life she is living, and falls out of love with her husband, who is so obsessed with religion that his passion in their relationship is gone.
HIGHER GROUND is a complex film examining the conflict between religious fundamentalism and free expression and passion for life.  It is thought provoking and Vera Famiga's performance is "Oscar worthy".  Definitely worth the visit.                                                          B


THE DEBT -Starring Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain, Tom Wilkinson, Sam Worthington, Martin Csokas, Ciaran Hinds, Jesper Christenson.
In 1966 Israeli agents infiltrate East Berlin to capture Doctor Bernhardt, a notorious Nazi war criminal, responsible for horrific experiments and many Jewish deaths. The team is in hiding several weeks while they develop the plot. Team member Rachel Singer (Chastain) visits Bernhardt, who is living under an assumed name as a gynecologist in East Berlin. On her third visit she anesthetizes him and the other team members kidnap him, posing as emergency personnel. 
The following events lead to the supposed death of the notorious doctor, and the three are given a heroes welcome in Israel. But the team harbors a dark secret that haunts them for life.
30 years later the daughter of a now middle aged Rachel (Mirren) writes a book about the mission, drawing new attention to the events of 1966.
I can't describe this further without giving away too much of the story line. 
This is an excellent thriller with some outstanding performances by Helen Mirren as the older Rachel, Sam Worthington as agent David Young, and Jessica Chastain as the younger Rachel.
Loads of suspense, some graphic violence, but a riveting movie experience. Don't miss it.                A


August 2011:

DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK - Starring Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailey Madison.
Sally Hurst (Madison) is a troubled young girl sent by her mother to live with her father Alex (Pearce) and his girlfriend Kim (Holmes). Alex has purchased an old mansion and is renovating it to compete for the cover of a prestigioius  architect publication.
Sally is sad and introverted, and while exploring the property discovers a hidden basement where she begins to hear voices and experience strange events. Alex and Kim are deeply concerned with the child's behavior, blaming her moods on psychological problems. However they soon realize the terror Sally experiences is real, brought about ancient, mystical forms who are determine to capture them and bring them to the dark side.
I don't generally watch horror movies but this seemed like an old fashion scary movie with little blood and gore.
Well that is precisely what the movie is. Bailey Madison's performance as Sally is truly creepy and she shows her talent as a child actor. There are lots of scary moments complete with creepy little creatures.
Again, it's about expectations and if you're looking for a movie to give you chills, scare your pants off, and place you on the edge of your seat, this one does the job. Good old fashion scary entertainment.                C+


COLUMBIANA - Starring Zoe Saldana, Jordi Molia, Lennie James, Amandle Steinberg.
Cataleya (Steinberg) is a 10 year old who witnesses the murder of her parents in Columbia, in a battle between drug kingpins. Before he dies her father gives her a chip containing valuable info about the Columbian drug lords. Cataleya escapes from her parents murderers and brings the chip to the US Embassy, where she is given a passport and is placed under protection by FBI.
However Cataleya is on a mission to find her uncle in Chicago, and escapes the FBI.
United with her uncle Marco (Molia) she convinces him to train her as a killer, seeking revenge for her parents murder.
13 years later Cataleya (Saldana) is a full trained martial arts expert and assassin, and pursues all the people broadly connected to the drug lord responsible for her parents murder.
Leave your brain at home for this one, and expect a revenge based non stop action movie. Zoe Saldana is quite a physical speciment whose athleticism is continually on display.
This is all about expectations and I got exactly what I expected. Good non cerebral entertainment.        B-


ONE DAY - Starring Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Patricia Clarkson, Ken Scott.
The date is July 15, 1988. Emma Morley (Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Sturgess) meet while celebrating their graduation from college in England. 
Emma comes from a working class family and dreams of making a contribution to the world. Dexter is a wealthy playboy with little ambition, and no direction in his life. 
After one day together they drift apart but somehow always meet again on July 15th of subsequent years.
For the next 20 years they share key moments of their lives and discover many aspects of their own relationship, their hopes, missed opportunities, laughter and tears.
Somewhere during their relationship they both realize that they love each other and what they are both searching for was their all along in their friendship and love.
This is a romantic drama (not a comedy) with a complex portrayal of two people searching for answers to life, and eventurally finding those answers in their own relationship. It is a bit tedious following their journey to realize this and the movie is a bit long.
However their are good performances by both Anne Hathaway (English accent and all), and Jim Sturgess, and the movie is thought provoking and entertaining.                                         B



THE WHISTLEBLOWER - Starring Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave, David Strathaim, Roxana Condurache.
Kathryn Bolkovac (Weisz) is a policewoman in Nebraska, recently divorced, and looking for a fresh start.
She accepts a position to work for a private contractor on the peace keeping UN force in Bosnia following the war. Using her tenacity and police skills she uncovers a human trafficking ring which is supported by many of her private contractor colleagues and the International UN community in general.
While trying to expose this ring and free these girls from slavery, she encounters many unexpected obstacles in the State Dept. and the UN hierarchy.
This is based upon true events in 1999 and is a riveting expose of this rapidly growing criminal activity. Rachel Weisz is excellent in the Bolkovac role, while the movie presents a vivid picture of the inhuman behavior of factions in post-war Bosnia and the indifference of the International community regarding human trafficking . Solid entertainment, recommended.                          B


THE GUARD -Starring Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong.
Sgt Gerry Boyle (Gleeson) is a small town cop in County Galway Ireland, with a confrontational personality and perverted sense of humor. He is a maverick who takes orders from no one and has a weird sense of justice and morality.
Boyle's small town suddenly becomes the focal point for a manhunt aimed at 4 International drug dealers, who kills one of Boyle's deputies.
The FBI shows up on the case in the person of Wendell Everett (Cheadle), who has been tracking the gang from the US.
Boyle and Everett form an unlikely partnership in pursuit of the drug dealers and killers which is impeded by corrupt police officials from Dublin who are on the take. Underestimating the tenacity of Boyle the bad guys have a rude awakening.
This is an Irish dark comedy with an entertaining perfomance by Brendan Gleeson, a character actor you will remember from HARRY POTTER,  GANGS OF NEW YORK, and BRAVEHEART. The plot has some good twists and moments, but the chemistry between Gleeson and Cheadle is only fair, and I found the accents (Irish with a twist of Gaelic) to be hard to follow at times. The overuse of the F word also is distracting and takes away from the experience.
It's OK for a rental but I doubt it will be broadly released. This is a dark comedy that is no where near the caliber of FARGO, IN BRUGE, or DOES THE DEVIL KNOW YOUR DEAD.                               C+


SARAH'S KEY - Starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Melusine Mayance, Aidan Quinn, Niels Astrup.
In July 1942 an infamous event occurs in French History when the French police round up thousands of Jewish families for deportation to German camps. 10 year old Sarah is arrested in the middle of the night with her familly. In an effort to save her young brother, she locks him in a bedroom cupboard, promising to return shortly. After weeks of suffering at the hands of the French police, she is separated from her family. With the aid of a sympathetic policeman she escapes with a friend and begins a harrowing journey to return to Paris to free her brother.
In present time, Julia Jarmond (Thomas), an American journalist investigating the event, discovers that she and her husband are moving into the very apartment where Sarah's tragedy took place. The apartment was handed down by her husband's family and Julia embarks on a quest to learn the truth and trace the mystery of Sarah's life.
Another movie adapted from the best selling book and is just as outstanding. Kristen Scott Thomas is a superb British actress, while showing her fluent french, gives an Oscar level performance as Julia. 
The parallel stories, 60 years apart, are intertwined beautifully, following the book in every detail.
Since the movie is half in French (with English subtitles) it would help if you read the book or were familiar with the story, since it is complex. However don't miss this outstanding portrayal of a little known blemish in French History and a story that will stay with you forever.                                                                   A


THE HELP - Starring Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, Allison Janney.
Skeeter Phelan (Stone) is 22 years old and an aspiring writer during the early civil rights movement in Jackson, Mississippi. Aibileen (Davis) is an African-American maid and nanny who suffers from the death of her son 4 years past. Minnie (Spencer) is an outspoken maid whose sassiness makes it difficult to hold a job.
In the backdrop of racist Mississippi, Skeeter decides to write a book about the relationship of wealthy white woman and their hired black help. This is a very risky enterprise in the tense climate, but convinces Aibileen, Minnie, and eventually others, to assist her with stories of their experiences.
Hilly (Howard) is the self proclaimed leader of the affluent women of Jackson who leads a campaign to make it a law to have a separate bathroom for the hired help in every household.
Skeeter's clandestine endeavor leads to much friction in the community eventually exploding into major conflict when the book is published.
This is the movie version of the best selling novel and is as entertaining and inspiring as the book. A perfect cast led by Viola Davis as the courageous maid who steps up to tell her story, and Emma Stone's performance as Sketter is equally outstanding.
THE HELP will certainly be nominated for a number of Academy Awards, my best guess being Viola Davis for lead actress, and Bryce Dallas Howard for best supporting actress playing the diabolical and slimy racist Hilly. However Octavia Spencer as Millie could also receive recognition.
Finally Emma Stone is a young actress on a mercurial rise to stardom who gives the best performance of her young career.
Whether you read the book or not you will love this movie. Best of the year thus far.                  A


CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE - Starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei.
Cal (Carell) is an average guy in his 40's living an average (good) life, when his wife suddenly asks for a divorce. With his perfect life unravelling, he enters the modern dating world, totally ill equipped to cope with the liberated dating scene. 
At a local bar Cal meets Jacob, a handsome guy in his 30's who is an expert at meeting girls. He takes on Cal as his protege and teaches him all he knows about style and women. Cal learns the ropes meeting many willing women including Kate (Tomei) who is a sexually aggressive women who gives Cal all he can handle.
Cal's teenage son is in love with his babysitter (4 years older) Jessica, who has a crush on Cal.
Emily (Moore), Cal's wife, is having an affair a work colleague David (Bacon). and Jacob meets Hannah (Stone)  with whom he falls in love and cures him of his womanizing nature.
When Hanna proves to be Cal's eldest daughter, mayhem breaks out with Cal fighting Jacob, Jessica's (babysitter)
father attacking Cal, who is thinks is molesting his daughter, and so on.
Meanwhile Cal and Emily discover that their love has not died and are on their way to a fresh start.
Well all of this is quite exhausting and results in some funny sequences, but the movie is trapped between comedy and romance, falling short in both.
The cast is great but I expected more laughs.  This is an average romantic comedy that does not measure up to some of its counterparts this year e.g. BRIDESMAIDS.                                                 C+


THE RISE OF PLANET OF THE APES - Starring James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, Brian Cox.
In an attempt to cure Alzheimer's disease Will Rodman (Franco) develops a serum which enhances brain functions and utilizes all parts of the brain. He experiments on apes and suffers a number of setbacks before discovering that the offspring of one of the chimps, Caesar (Serkis), has developed extraordinary intelligence and ability to communicate with humans. He becomes a member of the Rodman family.
Rodman's father, who is suffering from Alzheimer's, is given the serum and which is successful for a time, but he eventually deteriorates and creates a confrontation with a nieghbor. Caesar intercedes, attacking the neighbor, is considered dangerous by Animal Control and is sent to an "ape sanctuary", where he is mistreated by the staff.
Caesar uses his increasing intelligence and grasp of human behavior to steal the serum, give it to other apes in the compound, and leads an escape and attack on the local human population.
While this is occurring, it is discovered that any contact with the apes or contaminated humans results in a deadly virus that will kill the human population.
This is all about your expectations and I really enjoyed the movie. James Franco gave a flat performance but Andy Serkis, applying incredible makeup as Caesar, gives an emotional performance that carries the movie.
I thought this prequel was well conceived and very entertaining.                                 B

July 2011:

COWBOYS AND ALIENS - Starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach.
A stranger (Craig) wakes up on a desert in Arizona Territory in 1873, with no memory of the past and a mysterious contraption embedded on his wrist. He staggers into the small town of Absolution, which is run by a tough rancher, Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). The stranger is rejected and chastised by the town but when the alien attack commences, he becomes their only hope for survival, with his wrist weapon able to shoot down the alien space ships.
He forges an alliance with the town's people,  a band of outlaws (who he discovers was his gang) and the local Apache warriors, to unite against the common enemy.
Well the concept was innovative and I had high hopes going in, but it just didn't work for me. There is a very limited story line and the abduction of humans by the aliens was not developed, leaving you a bit in the dark.
Daniel Craig gives a superb performance as the stranger, but Harrison Ford is getting tiresome with his aged INDIANA JONES expressions. It was OK but I expected more.                               C+


CAPTAIN AMERICA - THE FIRST AVENGER - Starring Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Sabastian Stan, Hugo Weaving, Samuel Jackson.
During the early stages of WWII, Steve Rogers (Evans) is turned down for enlistment because he is too short and skinny. He volunteers to participate in an experimental program to create "super soldiers". This turns him into a man with extraordinary strength and abilities and takes on the persona of Captain America.
He and a small band of super soldiers wage war against the HYDRA Organization, led by the evil Red Skull (Weaving).
This is another in the endless series of comic book super heroes hitting the big screen. It's a retro style WWII fantasy which I found predictable but entertaining. Don't expect an Oscar performance but there is a great supporting cast and it worked well for me as light entertainment.                    B


HARRY POTTER AND THE DEADLY HALLOWS 2 - Starring Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith.
In the finale of the HARRY POTTER series, the battle between good and evil escalates into all out war. Lord Voldemon, the prince of darkness, and Harry have a climactic showdown that could result in Harry's ultimate sacrifice.
This is the best of the series and is a fitting ending to the epic. You need to have knowledge of the prior episodes to understand the characters and the events leading up to the finale. I didn't read the Potter books so I'm not a "Potter Head" but I saw all the movies and found this the most entertaining.              B+


TRANSFORMERS - DARK SIDE OF THE MOON - Starring Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, John Malkovich, Patrick Dempsey, John Turturro, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Frances McDormack.
In the 1050's there is a war in space on the planet Cybertron, between the Autobots (good guys) and the Decepticon (bad guys). An Autobot space ship escapes and crashes on the dark side of the moon. America's moon exploration centers around knowledge of this crash, and our astronouts land on the moon to explore the space craft and retrieve valuable information and material.
In modern day, presumably covered in prior TRANSFORMER movies, Autobots, mechanical intelligent aliens, are on earth helping to maintain security (remember they're the good guys). The Decepticon's follow them to Earth and embark upon a plan to destroy the Autobots and enslave the human race while taking over the planet.
Well what ensues is special effect overload, with a never ending battle that is an ear splitting, tedious video game, in which good acting is purely by accident.
The heroine is of particular note in the non actress category. She is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, a Victoria Secret mega model, who plays Sam's (LaBeouf) love interest Carly. She is a British super barbie, who is not hard to look at but establishes a new low in action film acting.
There are some good supporting actors who chose to receive a pay check for cameo roles, but nothing can save this from the headache producing special effects created by the continuing clashes of mechanical transformer aliens.
As a kid I never liked transformers and as an adult in subjecting myself to this movie I hate them even more. (I went to see this because my wife was having her hair done and I had a few hours to kill).
Unless your mind has failed to develop properly or you choose to offer a 160 minute sacrifice to God for past sins, avoid this at all cost. Netflix may be a better route where you can walk out of the room or place it on pause when the noise reaches unbearable levels. A colossal waste of time.                                     C-


THE ZOOKEEPER - Starring Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb, variety of stars as animal voices.
Griffin (James) plans an elaborate proposal to his girl friend Stephanie (Bibb). He rides on a white horse with her on the beach, finds a bottle on the sand with a note, "Will you marry me", and hires a Marachi Band to play in the background. Unfortunately the love of his life is not interested, because he is a zookeeper with no growth potential to reach the heights (i.e. money) to which she is accustom.
Five years later Griffin is Lead Zookeeper, and meets Stephanie again at a fund raiser in the zoo. He fumbles his words to her and blows a chance to regain her interest.
Well unbeknownst to Griffen, his animal friends at the zoo can talk, and have been following his mutterings to them about his failed relationship. So they decide to help him through their animal instincts regarding mating and  romance.
All this time his co-worker Kate (Dawson) remains in the shadows, while growing in love with Griffen.
His animal friends lead him on a number of adventures to win the hand of the beautiful Stephanie, while giving him an understanding of what he really wants in career and love.
The good news is that aside from a crude "peeing to mark your territory" scene, the movie is clean and respectable.
The problem is that it is a comedy with very few funny sequences. The talking animals are cute and some of Kevin James' slapstick antics are funny, but on the whole the flow of the plot is predictable, flat and boring. Even the kids in the audience were restless and bored. Too bad, because I love comedy when it doesn't depend upon gross bathroom, sex and drug humor, but ZOOKEEPER simply doesn't work.               C


HORRIBLE BOSSES - Starring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charles Day, Jennifer Aniston, Jaimie Foxx, Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell.
Nick, Kirt, and Dale are friends and working guys suffering one common affliction, bosses from hell. Nick's boss Dave Harken (Spacey) is a tyrant, Kurt's boss, Bobbie Pellit (Farrell)  is a no good druggy son of his prior boss, and Dale's boss is Dr. Julie Harris (Aniston), a sexually harassing dentist.
With some bizarre advice from alleged 'hit man' M.F. Jones (Foxx), and some definite brain shortages, the three concoct  plots to kill the three bosses.
This results in an array of bumbling, fumbling mishaps getting them deeper and deeper into mayhem.
HORRIBLE BOSSES is a raunchy, witty and  hilarious ride by three employees attempting to do away with their abusive bosses. Many very funny sequences with a great cast of comedy actors. 
If you ever has such a boss, and most of us have, you will identify immediately with the three characters and their absurd antics.
If you're offended by explicit sexual comedy or language stay away, but if you leave your inhibitions at home this is a laugh a minute comedy with great direction and screen writing. Loads of fun.                   B+


LARRY CROWNE - Starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Cedric the Entertainer.
Larry (Hanks), an outgoing, happy guy gets laid off unexpectedly from his job, where he thought he was excelling. Since he was fired because of his education, he decides to enroll at a local Junior College. Here he meets Mercedes (Roberts), his less than enthusiastic teacher, and develops a crush. He develops a friendship with classmate Talia (Mbatha-Raw), a beautiful unconventional person who gets Larry involved with her scooter club, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend.
This is a light comedy to simply sit back and enjoy. Believe it or not it has no drugs, no bathroom humor, and no perverted sexual comedy. Basically it's an old fashion comedy, which brings out the best of Hanks and Roberts talent. Funny and entertaining.                                      B


June 2011:

BAD TEACHER - Starring Cameron Diaz, Lucy Punch, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake.
Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz) is a teacher who doesn't give a F. But that's the least of her issues. She is ruthless, desperate to marry into money, desperate for a boob job, and generally a worthless person who has no use for kids and  is determined to teach as little as possible.
The movie isn't worth explaining further because it's mindless, tasteless, sewer humor that only the depraved younger generation and the young adult drug set will flock to see.
This is modern humor at it's peak (or trough) for vulgar, gutter crap. If that's your thing (and it's obviously not mine), you may enjoy Cameron Diaz (who I normally like) playing the sexy, perverted Elizabeth. Lucy Punch, playing Amy, Elizabeth's arch rival, is pretty funny in parts. 
However the number of "gross out" sequences and the depravity of the story line, far outweights the few funny parts, and will cause some of you to walk out. A total money waster. I would rate it a D- expect that Diaz brings a certain bizarre flare to her character and is not hard to watch.                                C-


GREEN LANTERN - Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Mark Strong, Tim Robbins, Angela Bassett.
Hal Jorden (Reynolds) is a test pilot who displays courage and confidence in going about his everyday life.
The Green Lanterns are protectors of peace and justice throughout the universe, each wearing a ring giving them superpowers, Humans has never been chosen to join the brotherhood, but when a powerful enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the universe, Hal is selected to join  the Brotherhood.
He is beamed up to the Green Lantern's command center for training, coming back to earth with superpowers.
He confronts the evil force Parallax to save Earth from destruction.
Hollywood is not running out of superheroes anytime soon and GREEN LANTERN joins the never ending list.
If you like these Marvel fantasies this one is as good as most. There is a bit of "tongue in cheek" humor and special effects are as good as expected.
Entertaining but does not distinguish itself from the pack.                                   C+


BEGINNERS - Starring Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Melanie Laurent.
Hal (Plummer), following 44 years of marriage, comes "out of the closet" at age 75, begining a active gay lifestyle following the death of his wife. Oliver (McGregor), Hal's son, has a difficult time sustaining relationships because of the robotic relationship of his parents during his childhood. Oliver's mother knew that Hal was gay but in typical 1950's thinking, thought she could "cure" him, leading to a marriage devoid of passion and affection.
Oliver meets Anna, an aspiring french actress, who has family scars of her own. Oliver falls in love with Anna, using his new found understanding of his father, as a beacon of hope that one can find happiness in life.
Critics really liked BEGINNERS, but it didn't work for me. It is beyond me why modern relationships are so complicated and impossible to sustain. The whole Oliver/Anna inability to commit is tedious and uninspiring. Hey Oliver, she's beautiful, witty, and charming. What's not to like??
Melanie Laurent (of INGLORIOUS BASTARDS fame) gives an excellent performance as Anna, but the movie has varying shades of sadness and depression, which left we wondering why I subject myself to such experiences. Not recommended.                                 C


THE TREE OF LIFE - Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastin, Hunter McCracken.  
This is the most unique and thought provoking movie in many years. It is the story of Jack O'Brien (McCracken and Penn),  the eldest son of a Texas family in the 1950's, following his journey from the innocence of childhood to his adult years, where he is tormented by events of his life. 
Jack tries to reconcile a difficult relationship with his father and the death of his younger brother, while seeking answers to the meaning of life and the role that grace (God) plays in his existence.
Jack's father, Mr. O'Brien (Pitt) is an intimidating yet loving father, who is haunted by his career and life choices, often taking his frustrations out on his wife and three boys. Jack's mother (Chastin) is a sweet and loving person with a zest for life, who through grace and spirituality, only wants happiness for the family. Hence the conflict between brute nature and grace or spirituality.
Writer, director Terrence Malick creates a masterpiece of imagery and mystical insightfulness which is unlike anything you've ever seen. It is a mesmerizing journey of how both nature and grace (spirituality) shape not only our lives as individuals but the very nature of existence.
This is not to be seen as a simple movie experience, but a spiritual one. You must be ready and willing to go with the flow and beauty of the images, and the awe-inspiring messages that it holds.
The cinematography of the cosmos and natures wonders are beautiful sequences to sit back and reflect upon.
The acting is suberb, particularly Brad Pitt's portrayal of a father torn between love for his children and the need to brutally mold them into strong individuals.
Hunter McCracken, playing the role of a youthful Jack, is phenominal in his first screen performance. They both are potential Oscar winners.
This movie is not for everyone. If you visit the theater for light entertainment, and are not willing to focus and explore the depths of the message, you will not appreciate this film. Many viewers will not grasp the flow of the story and the subtle nature of the imaging. This is understandable since there is a wide diversity of opinion in movie circles regarding the movie.
However if you go expecting to be challenged with a complex, spiritual experience you may be wowed. A movie like none other, accept the challenge.                                   A-


SUPER 8 - Starring Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Gabriel Basso.
In 1979, in a small Ohio town, a group of young teens are developing a Super 8 movie for entry into a local contest. While filming at the railroad station they witness and film a horrific train crash.  Unusual disappearances and bizarre events begin to  engulf the town, and the presence of military at the crash have everyone unnerved. The local deputy sheriff, Jackson Lamb (Chandler) tries to uncover the truth which leads to a frightening discovery.
 Lamb's son, Joe (Courtney), a class mate, Alice (Fanning), and the other teens uncover the truth on the Super 8 reel they were filming at the crash site, and join the pursuit.
It's difficult writing this review without giving away key elements of the plot, which would destroy the mystery and climax, so I will not do so.           
But SUPER 8 is an exhilarating Spielberg masterpiece, with loads of heart stopping sequences, suspense, and adventure. Kyle Chandler, of Friday Night Lights fame, is superb as the sheriff, and Elle Fanning is very bit as good as her sister Dakota as Alice. Joel Courtney, as a young, unknown actor, also is notable.
It's a great adventure ride for kicking off the summer movie season. It is scary, exciting and very entertaining. Highly recommended.         A-


THE FIRST GRADER - Starring Naomie Harris and Oliver Litondo.
Kimani Ngango Maruge (Litondo) was a freedom fighter for Kenyan independence from British rule from 1951 to 1959. He was imprisoned by the British, suffered brutal treatment, and forced to watch the murder of his wife and children.
In 2003 the now independent Kenyan Government introduced free primary school to all citizens of Kenya. Maruge, now 84 years old, sees the opportunity to finally receive an education. Assisted by Jane Obinchu a teacher and principal of his village school, Maruge battles opposition from local residents and government to fulfill his dream.
This is a true story that received worldwide media coverage in 2003, thus bringing Kenya and their battle for independence to the forefront. He actually travelled to NY and spoke at the UN.
The movie is an outstanding depiction of these events and tells an inspiring story of persistence and courage in the wake of much adversity.
Oliver Litondo gives a great performance as Maruge, and Naomie Harris gives an Oscar level  performance as Jane Obinchu.
It would be a great history lesson for children and young adults but the violent sequences and brutal treatment by the British make it not suitable.
Nonetheless it is a great tribute to Maruge, very entertaining, and will receive acclaim by critics when award nominations are discussed.       A-    
          

X-MEN : FIRST CLASS - Starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence.
In 1944, on different sides of the Atlantic, two young men discover their powers for the 1st time. This is before mutants have revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier (McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Fassbender) changed their names to Professor X and Magneto.
At first they were close friends, working with other young mutants to prevent nuclear war during the Cuba Missile Crisis. However, during the crisis Eric and Charles grow apart culminating in a war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.
This is the prequel to the 3 X-Men movies staring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. He has a tiny cameo in this one. If you are not familiar with at least one of the X-Men movies, you will not appreciate the characters developing in the prequel. However the movie stands on its own merits, and the story line and special effects are excellent, and using the backdrop of the nuclear crisis between US and Russia is very well done.
I would get acquainted with the X-Men sequels before viewing this but it is very entertaining and well worth the effort.                  B+

May 2011:

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS - Starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen, Marion Cotillard, Corey Stoll, Adrian Brody.
Gil (Wilson), a hopeless romantic and frustrated writer, and his wealthy and spoiled fiance, Inez (McAdams), vacation in Paris with Inez's parents. Gil is captivated with the romance and splendid of the "City of Lights" while his disinterested future wife and  in-laws shop for expensive items for their future home in Malibu.
While walking the streets of Paris at night, Gil meets an ensemble of characters who takes him on a nostalgic journey to Paris of the 1920's. Here he escapes to a golden time of art and literature, and finds support and meaning to his life.
This is Woody Allen's best movie in years, and is a rare treat for innovative comedy and romance. The photography and music are magical, the cast superb and the experience outstanding.
Of special note are the performances by Marion Cotillard as Adrianna, who offers all the beauty and grace that Paris has to offer, and the provocative portrayal of Ernest Hemingway by Corey Stool. Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates and Rachel McAdams are also noteworthy.
This is an exceptional movie of romance, nostalgia, and life's true experience. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS was at CineArts at Monument in a limited release, but its popularity has resulted in general release this week.
See it now or wait until it's an Academy Award nomination, but don't miss it.                                        A


MEEK'S CUTOFF - Starring Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Will Patton, Paul Dano.
Three families hire a mountain man, Stephen Meeks (Greenwood), to guide them across the Cascade Mountains on the Oregon Trail in 1845. Meek suggests a short cut over the high plains desert, leaving the group lost and frantic for water and food. They capture a native american wanderer and a conflict ensues whether to trust Meek who has obviously gotten the group lost, or their nature enemy, who knows the region and where water may be found.
I'm a big fan of historical epics and was anticipating a pioneer adventure which was both exciting and informative.
First the good news: It gives an accurate portrayal of the hardships and dangers confronting settlers taking unexplored and arduous routes to the West.
The bad news: This could easily be a 9 character melodrama performed on the stage. The movie was so slow and draggy that it felt like spending three days in the high desert with the group instead of a 90 minute movie. Lingering scenes of emoting and reflections by the characters caused you to stare at the ceiling to break up the tedium.
I'm certain there is a cult of cerebral movie goers who would find this stimulating. But I would advise you not to waste you time and money. Since some may  choose to suffer through this anyway, I will not discuss the ending, which is classic in its own right. Not recommended.               D+


PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN IV - ON STRANGER TIDES - Starring Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush,  Ian McShane.
The ongoing adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) begins as a captive of the British, seeking Sparrow's knowledge about the mythical "Fountain of Youth". Barbossa (Rush), a former pirate and adversary of Sparrow, is now working for the British as a privateer, and, following a harrowing escape by Sparrow, is close on his trail.
 Enter Angelica (Cruz), a former romantic connection with Captain Jack, who proves to be the daughter of the notorious pirate, Blackbeard (McShane).
With all parties seeking the Fountain of Youth, they must discover two chalices located on the sunken ship of Ponce de Leon, and travel into the mysterious land of mermaids, to obtain a tear from one of the mystical creatures.
Lots of action and battles among the British, Spaniards, and Blackbeard's gang leading to the ultimate confrontation at the sight of the mythical fountain.
The story line is interesting but the movie is long (2 hrs 17 min), and is tedious in the middle. It's not my favorite PIRATES and Captain Jack's accent and demeanor does wear on you. Penelope Cruz is good, an equal replacement for Kera Knightly, but the experience was ordinary at best. If you like these kind of adventures like I do, you'll most likely be drawn to see it anyway.                                                C+ 


BRIDESMAIDS - Starring Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Chris O'Dowd, Melissa McCarthy.
Annie's (Wiig) life is a total mess. She can't find a decent relationship, and she's fired from her job because of her depressing sales approach.
To top it off, her best friend Lillian (Rudolph) becomes engaged, and Annie must go through the motions as her Maid of Honor. Enter Helen (Byrne), a friend of Lillian's who is everything that Annie wants to be. She's beautiful, rich, popular, and very controlling. Lillian takes over the wedding planning to the chagrin of Annie's, and the battle for 'best friend' stature begins.
This is a very funny movie, but my more conservative friends should beware. It's raunchy, literal bathroom humor, sexual content etc etc. Don't say I didn't warn you. Having said that, I laughed throughout. Particularly the character, Megan,  played by Melissa McCarthy, is hilarious. This is modern day humor, so if that offends you don't go.
I loved it.                                                      B+


THOR - Starring Chris Hemswood, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddeston, Anthony Hopkins
Thor (Hemswood), is a powerful yet arrogant warrior from another galaxy, sent by his father, Odin (Hopkins), to Earth as punishment for starting a reckless war. However, when his brother, Loki (Hiddeston), jealous of Thor, sends the evil forces from Asgard to invade the Earth, Thor must become a true hero to save mankind.
This is a Marvel Studios production adapted from the comic book series, and is about what I expected. There's excellent action and special effects, but what raises the rating of this fantasy is the performances by all the lead actors, especially Natalie Portman, as Thor's human love interest, and Anthony Hopkins, as the masterful leader of the Asgard galaxy.
There will be sequels and I  enjoyed the experience.                                   B


SOMETHING BORROWED - Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, Colin Egglesfield, John Krasinski.
Rachel (Goodwin) and Darcy (Hudson) are very best friends since childhood. Rachel attends law school and meets Dex, whom she really likes but lacks the confidence to pursue the relationship.
She introduces Dex to Darcy, who uses her charm and spirited personality to seduce Dex, much to the chagin of Rachel.
Darcy and Dex are to be married when the original flame between Dex and Rachel is rekindled, resulting in a serious dilemma for the love triangle.
This is a light comedy with good performances by all, especially Ginnifer Goodwin, who is coming into her own as a comedy actress.
The critics didn't rate the movie highly but I would recommend it for light comedy entertainment.       B


April 2011:

SOUL SURFER - Starring AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Lorraine Nicholson.
The inspiring true story of a teenage amateur surfing champion who loses her arm in a shark attack. With Hawaii as the venue Bethany Hamilton (Robb) overcomes her debilitating injury and self doubt to resume surfing, giving inspiration to many fans throughout the world.
This is a great family movie and the best "feel good" film of the year thus far. Definitely recommended.       B


AFRICAN CATS - A DisneyNature documentary.
This is the annual Earth Day production by Disney. Excellent visual experience with amazing close ups of prides of lions and cheetahs in their own habitat.
Not quite as impressive as last year's OCEANS but a wonderful family experience.               B


WATER FOR ELEPHANTS - Starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz.
Jacob Jankowski (Pattinson) is about to graduate from Cornell with a veterinary degree, when his parents are killed in an auto crash. His life changes dramatically when his parents home is repossessed and he takes to the road with no future or prospects.
In despair he stows away on a circus train traveling to perform at the next town, and with his veterinary knowledge becomes the circus vet. He meets Marlena (Witherspoon), who is the circus' lead attraction and married to the circus owner, August (Waltz).
August is a cruel, sadistic owner leading to  serious conflict with Jacob, who falls in love with Marlena  while attempting to mitgate the owner's amimal cruelty.
The book was great and the movie is even better. Outstanding performances by the three lead actors. 
Robert Pattinson proves to be more than a teen heart throb from the TWILIGHT series, and has a great future as a leading man.
Reese Witherspoon moves effortlessly from comedy to drama and gives a great performance as the beautiful Marenla.
Christoph Waltz, after his Oscar winning performance as the deranged colonel in INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, gives an equally chilling performance as August. He is quickly becoming the villain of choice in Hollywood.
The film also covers a little known segment of American History, the traveling circus during the Great Depression.
What's not to love. WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is great entertainment. Don't miss it.                  A


WIN WIN - Starring Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Alex Shaffner, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young.
Mike Flaherty (Giamatti), who has a law practice that is marginal at best, has a 2nd job as a wrestling coach for the local high school. Desperately in need of income, he concocts a scheme to become guardian for one of his clients (Burt Young), who suffers from dementia.
 Instead of caring for him as stipulated, he checks him into a care facility for the elderly. The situation becomes complicated when the man's grandson, Kyle (Shaffner) shows up to visit with his grandfather, Flaherty discovers that Kyle is a former state wrestling star, who would be the savior for his horrendous HS wrestling team. All goes well until Kyle's mother shows up from Ohio.
This is a fun movie with a good balance of drama and comedy. Amy Ryan, playing Mike's wife, Jackie Flaherty, is terrific as the no nonsense wife, and Giametti has a memorable performance as the hapless Mike. Very entertaining and certainly worth a visit.       B     
                                                       

THE CONSPIRATOR - Starring Robin Wright, James McAvoy, Tom Wilkinson, Kevin Kline, Evan Rachael Wood.
This is an authentic depiction of one of the most chaotic period in our history, immediately following the assassination of President Lincoln.
It is a riveting and powerful portrayal of the trial of Mary Surratt (Wright) and other conspirators in the assassination. Frederick Alken (McAvoy), captain and hero of the Civil War, is persuaded by Reverdy Johnson (Wilkinson), a Maryland senator, to take on the defense of Mary Surratt. 
Alken is very bitter over the death of the President and has no interest or sympathy for Surratt, but undertakes a rigorous defense in the face of a revenge motivated military court.
As a history buff, particularly the Civil War, this was an outstanding reenactment of these events, The acting performances by the cast was equally outstanding, especially Robin Wright and James McAvoy.
Even if history isn't your thing, don't miss this exceptional movie.                                                A 


SOURCE CODE - Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Michael Arden.
Captain Colter Stevens, who is killed in combat, wakes up in another man's body, on a Chicago commuter train which is about to crash from a terrorist bombing. Colter (Gyllenhaal) meets Christina (Monaghan) on the train, before it suddenly explodes. Colter wakes up in a room with mysterious equipment and computers, and learns from a military operative, Collen Goodwin (Arden), that he is part of a government experiment called "Source Code". The program transforms him back in time, to relive the 8 mimutes prior to the bombing, in order to gather clues and identify the terrorist. During these intervals he falls in love with Christina, and tries to save her from the fate of the train crash.
If this sound complicated it is. I've never been a fan of these "alternative universe" and time travel movies. However, believe it or not, SOURCE CODE really works. It's suspenseful, riveting, and very entertaining, once you understand the concepts. One of the best movies of the year thus far. Highly recommended.            B+    
                                  

HANNA - Starring Saoirse Ronan, Erik Bana, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hollander.
Hanna is raised by her father, an ex-CIA operative, in the forests of Finland. Her training and upbringing is aimed at  making her the perfect assassin. Hanna reaches adolescence and her father sends her into the world on a mission to destroy Marissa, a ruthless CIA operative who is bent on destroying Hanna and her father.
Hanna faces many revelations about her past, in an effort to become a normal girl rather than a cold hearted assassin.
In between action sequences, the movie really drags, with many close-ups of Hanna deliberating over her past. I expected more but Ronan gives a good performance. It's an OK experience but I'd wait for the rental.     C+


DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2 : RODRICK RULES - Starring Zachary Gordon, Steve Zahn
This is the sequel and better than the first. Greg (Gordon) suffers through the torments from his brother Rodrick (Zahn) and a number of other comical problems at school and home.
We took 5 of our grandkids, ages 3 to 13, and it was appropriate for all of them. A cute movie with some funny sequences and a good experience for the kids.                                B-


March 2011:

JANE EYRE - Starring Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Judy Dench, Jamie Bell.
This is the film version of the literary masterpiece by Emily Bronte. Jane Eyre (Wasikowska), raised in a brutal orphanage, obtains employment at Thornfield House, as governess for the ward of Edward Rochester (Fassbender).
Mr. Rochester is a cold and  mysterious character, who is troubled by dark secrets from his passed. Jane and Michael fall in love but the relationship is doomed by these secrets, which when discovered, leads Jane to flee Thornfield House in despair.
Many of you have read the book and know the plot, but if you haven't I won't spoil the ending. 
The movie is true to the book and is a masterpiece in British film making. Mia Wasikowska gives an Academy Award performance as Jane Eyre, and Michael Fassbender is outstanding in the role of a deeply troubled Michael Rochcester. Judy Dench is superb as always, playing the houskeeper who knows the dark secret of Thornfield House. 
We loved the movie. Great entertainment value and highly recommended.                             A-


LIMITLESS - Starring Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro, Abbie Cornish.
Eddie Morra (Cooper) is a struggling writer with "writer's block" when an old acquaintance introduces him to a revolutionary new and untested drug called NZT. The drug expands your mind to utilize all of its untapped capacity,  giving you total recall of everything you have read or experienced, and the ability to comprehend complex equations and situations.
Eddie displays ultimate charm and confidence with all he encounters, and parleys a small stake into millions. His success is noticed by Carl Van Loon (DeNiro), a multi-billionaire, who hires him to help broker the largest merger in Corporate history.
However, unless the drug is used continually there are drastic side effects which leads to the need to obtain more and more of the drug.
This is a suspense thriller with a number of mysterious characters chasing Eddie to acquire his secret. Eddie must outwit his enemies while trying to further perfect NZT to eliminate the brutal side effects.
A thriller that keeps you guessing, and despite the "science fiction" aspect of the plot, is highly entertaining and well worth the visit. A very good movie for this time of year.                             B


LINCOLN LAWYER - Starring Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William Macy.
Mickey Haller (McConaughey) is a hot shot defense lawyer who operates from the back of his Lincoln sedan. He is very successful defending common criminals when he lands his biggest and most visible case, defending Louis Roulet, a rich Beverly Hills playboy, who is accused of rape and attempted murder.
The case seems very straightforward until a number of facts surface, which develops into a deadly game of survival for Haller.
McConaughey plays lawyer roles exceptional well, i.e. AMISTAD, TIME TO KILL, and this is one of his best acting performances. The movie is an adaptation from the book by Michael Connelly, and has a number of twists and turns resulting in a suspenseful and entertaining thriller. Highly recommended.    B+                    


OF GOD AND MEN - French with English Subtitles.
This is the inspiring true story of 8 monks,while living in a mountainous region of Algeria, are confronted with the growing threat of Islamist extremists and a corrupt government. Despite many efforts by the French Government to convince them to leave, the monks feel commitment to the village they support with food, medicine and spiritual help. They choose to remain at great risk.
This is a very difficult movie to review because the story is so compelling and the monks dedication so inspiring. However, the movie's portrayal of monastic life is tedious and very slow in building to the expected conclusion. This is a matter of personal taste, since my wife really liked it, as have many critics. The story and drama is compelling and many will rate it higher.                                         C+


RED RIDING HOOD - Starring Amanda Seyfried, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Gary Oldman, Julie Christie.
From the director of  TWILIGHT comes this clever adaptation of the fairly tale into a suspenseful werewolf tale, with many parallels to the TWILIGHT trilogy. Valerie (Seyfried) is the central character (given a red riding hood by her grandmother), who is romantically pursued by two young townfolks, Peter (Fernandez) and Henry (Irons). The village has a history of werewolf attacks and is firmly in the grip of fear and superstition.
Father Solomon, a dark character with a past of tracking the werewolf, comes to the village, and assumes control of the effort to kill the beast.
The center of the plot is to determine which of the villagers is the werewolf, which is filled with many twists and turns and holds you in suspense throughout.
The fairy tale is cleverly interwoven into the plot, with a number of tongue in cheek references. 
I liked it and was entertained throughout. Note there will be a sequel and perhaps a trilogy.                  B


BATTLE: LOS ANGELES - Starring Aaron Eckhard, Bridget Moynahan, Michelle Rodriguez.
A cluster of objects, presumed to be meteors, are discovered heading to Earth. As the objects hit Earth they slow down, indicating some form of intelligence. This is occurring throughout the world. At Fort Pendelton, near LA, the military is mobilized and form a battle line to combat an unknown foe. The attack by aliens begin and SSgt Michael Nantz (Eckhard) leads a group of marines to rescue civilians, who are trapped in a police station in the war zone.
When you choose to see an alien invasion movie, you have expectations of a combat movie with plenty of action and special effects. This certainly hits the target in that regard. The Marines tactics and strategy in combating an overpowering alien force, is very realistic. Plenty of action sequences and a script that is somewhat believable. 
I liked it, my wife a bit less, but if this type of movie is your thing, it's entertaining and worth a visit.              B-


THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU - Starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt.
David Norris (Damon), an ambitious politican, loses the race for US Senator. He meets a ballet dancer, Elise Sellas (Blunt) and falls in love with her. He is suddenly visited by mysterious men who are "agent (or angels) of fate, and they conspire to keep them apart. It appears that "The Chairman", presumably God, has eliminated free will from the human race (because we screwed it up so badly), and has developed a specific plan for each life. In David's plan it does not include Elise Sellas.
In the face of overwhelming odds, David  continues in his quest to be with her.
This is obviously a fantasy, with the underlying theme of free will versus a predestined path determined by God.
Well it didn't work for me. With angels running around in expensive business suits, supposedly following orders from a hierarchy leading to the "Chairman", I found it silly, pointless, with a typical Hollywood slant on spirituality, i.e. somewhere between atheism and the Wizard of Oz.
The one redeeming factor is the great chemistry between Damon and Blunt, who certainly deserve better than this script offers. It might be worth a rental if you like these actors, but not my thing.                          C

 

February 2011:

UNKNOWN - Starring Liam Neeson, January Jones, Diane Kruger, Frank Langella.
Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) awakens from a car accident in Berlin to discover that he has no identification, his wife (Jones) doesn't recognize him, and another man has taken his identity. After German authorities don't believe him and he is pursued by mysterious assassins, he tries to remember events leading up to his accident. He befriends the taxi driver from the crash (Kruger) and plunges headlong into a deadly mystery to prove his sanity and uncover the truth.
This is a solid drama/thriller that keeps you guessing though a number of twists leading to an unexpected ending. 
Excellent perfomances by Neeson and Kruger, and a very entertaining movie, particularly for this time of year, when pickings are generally very thin.                        B


THE EAGLE - Starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland.
In 140 AD, Marcus Aquila, a centurian and war hero, ventures to North Britain to restore the tarnished reputation of his father Flavius Aquila. Twenty years earlier Flavius had led Rome's Ninth Legion (5000 men) into North Britain and never returned.
Marcus is accompanied by a slave, Esca (Bell), who is from Britain and speaks the language of the north. 
In his quest to recapture "The Eagle", which is the emblem of the Ninth Legion, Marcus travels through hostile territory to ultimately discover the mystery of the Ninth Legion and his father's fate.
This is historical fiction that is entertaining, but drags a bit in the 2nd half. The scenery, presumably Scotland, is breathtaking, and if your a fan of historically based adventures, this will not disappoint.
Not an award winner but worth a look,                            C+   
                   

THE ROOMMATE - Starring Minka Kelly, Leighton Meester, Ryan Doom.
Sara (Kelly) is beginning her college career at LA University and meets her roommate, Rebecca (Meester). Rebecca initially seems like a very nice girl and they become close friends, however she begins to act very possessive and begins to  intimidate all people that are close to Sara, with horrific results.
This is your typical "roommate from hell" thriller, with good performances from Minka Kelly (NY Yankee Derrick Jeter's finance) and especially Leighton Meester, as the mentally disturbed Rebecca.
I liked it. It certainly holds your attention, very suspenseful, and Minka Kelly is not hard to watch. It's out of the movies now but it would make a good Netflix rental.                             B-