TOY STORY 3. In this newest episode of Toy Story, Woody and Buzz and the rest of the toys are facing tough times, as Andy has grown up and is going to college. His mother is making him clean out his room, and the toys face the garbage bin, the attic, or being given away. They end up at a Day Care Center, which at first they think is the best thing, because children will play with them once again. But the Center's toys are led by a bitter stuffed bear who will ensure that the new toys are assigned to the worst room on the center (with all the toddlers). So the story involves the toys trying to escape the Day Care Center and get back to Andy's house. Sweet movie, but I didn't find it as entertaining as the earlier two Toy Stories. It's actually kind of a deep movie, about coping with life changes. Still good for not-too-young kids though (the end would be pretty scary for real little ones).
WINTER'S BONE. Ree is a 17-year-old living in the Ozark backwoods. Her dad has disappeared and her mom has had a nervous breakdown, so she is the sole caretaker of her 12-year-old brother and 7-year-old sister. The family is dirt poor, often depending on the kindness of neighbors. When the sheriff comes to their cabin to tell her that her dad put their house and land up for collateral to guarantee his appearance in court, and they will lose the house if he doesn't show up, Ree lets the sheriff know she will find her dad. Which she sets out to do. But her dad cooked meth, so she has to contact some pretty sketchy characters, none of whom want to help her, even though some are family. This is a mystery story combined with a real feel for these people and their way of life. It makes for a gripping drama. Well worth seeing.
GET HIM TO THE GREEK. Jonah Hill is a low-level flunky working for record producer Sean Combs, and the company needs to bring in some revenue. Jonah suggests bringing down-on-his-luck rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand in the same role he played in FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL) back to LA to do a reprise of his most successful concert ever, a 10-year comeback concert at the Greek Theater. So Sean sends Jonah off to London to get Aldous back to LA within 3 days. Aldous' last album was a critical and popular disaster, and the pop-star love of his life (Rose Byrne) dumped him. Since then, he has been off the wagon in a big way. Aldous is a serious substance abuser and major party hound, so Jonah, who is not exactly a wild man, has his hands full trying to manage him. Stops in New York and Vegas don't help Jonah's deteriorating relationship with his fiancee, but they certainly broaden his life experiences. Although the movie is not a 100% success (gross out humor that was more gross than humor for me), it's at least usually amusing and certainly has laugh out moments. Some cute and unexpected cameos too. But it wasn't THE HANGOVER, which I guess I was expecting. It has more heart than that, giving the Aldous character some back story and reasons for his issues.
BEST WORST MOVIE. Documentary on the cult status of the 1992 movie TROLL 2. It is apparently a truly dreadful straight-to-video movie that makes no sense whatsoever. But hipsters discover it on HBO and make it a midnight success. The documentary, directed by one of the child stars, interviews fans and the cast members, including a small town Alabama dentist, who truly loves his newfound fame. Very entertaining movie, and quite amusing, but it is brought down a little by the director of Troll 2, and one of the stars, who are completely oblivious to how awful the movie is. Those parts are kinda sad. Otherwise, I enjoyed the film.
JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK. This is a documentary on Joan Rivers, who was a ground breaking comedian when she came on the scene in the early 60's. The filmmakers followed her for a year, plus intersperse the movie with earlier clips of her career. It's a year filled with ups and downs (bad audiences, no work, then Celebrity Apprentice). She was 75 years old when the film was made, and still working her tail off. She can be funny , of course, as well as too crude (for me), but she also has an almost pathological obsession with working and being accepted (which I found disconcerting). Interesting movie.
SOLITARY MAN. Michael Douglas plays a successful car salesman who in the first scene, gets the news that something might be wrong with his heart. Six years later, and his life is falling apart. He is having trouble connecting with his family (because he is mostly obsessed with nailing young women), and his career is also in the dumps. He is really in a downward spiral. At first he seems charming (the salesman in him), and you root for him, but then I realized that his character is so reprehensible that I found it hard to care what happened to him. This movie is the kind that people can actually discuss after seeing, because it has an open-ended finale, but it wasn't entertaining, if that makes sense.
PLEASE GIVE. Katherine Keener and husband Oliver Platt make their living buying retro furniture from the children of the recently deceased. Their daughter is an unhappy adolescent, a typical teenage girl with zits and weight issues. The couple are waiting for the next door neighbor, a cantankerous old lady, to die so they can buy her apartment and double their living space. She is taken care of by one of her granddaughters, a bland young woman played by Rebecca Hall. Her sister, Amanda Peet, is a nasty piece of work, who will pretty much say and do whatever she wants. The movie doesn't really go anywhere, it just shows these people's interactions and highlights their lack of self awareness. The one granddaughter hates her grandmother, for instance, and is really nasty to her, but doesn't realize how much they are alike. Katherine gets annoyed when she finds another store owner buying her stuff and marking up the prices, yet feels guilty that she does the same thing. The movie mostly kept my attention, but the lack of what I would call a plot leaves me cold. I get that the director likes to show everyday life, but that doesn't mean it's that entertaining to watch.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
May movie reviews
IRON MAN 2. I really like Robert Downey Jr., but with the exception of a minute or two here and there, I was bored out of my mind. Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell are the bad guys, Gwyneth Paltrow is back as Stark's right hand, and Scarlett Johanson arrives as an attorney for Stark Industries. Lots of explosions and battles. Just didn't engage me.
SECRET IN THEIR EYES. Winner of this year's Oscar for Best Foreign Film. It is about a former detective who is retired and has written a book about a 1970s rape-murder case he worked on. He has never been able to let go of how politics interfered with justice on the case. He asks his boss from from that time (she is now a judge) to take a look at the book for him. He was in love with her, but believing she was out of his league, he never acted on his feelings. The movie tells the two parallel stories, the rape-murder case that he has written about, and the now-older couple reconnecting. This is a very watchable movie - I like the way the stories just unfolded...
CASINO JACK AND THE UNITED STATES OF MONEY. Documentary about Jack Abramoff, who is serving a prison term for his shenanigans as a high profile lobbyist in Washington. He took vast sums of money from both garment manufacturers in the Marianas Islands (so they could continue to exploit workers) and Indian tribes (to support their casinos). He wasn't content to make gobs of money; he got involved in kickbacks as well. The movie describes Abramoff's start as an ambitious young college Republican to his fall from grace, and also highlights the huge amounts of money that politicians need to get elected, and the inherent corruption in our system. The investigation into his actions eventually brought down several Congressmen. Depressing, and maybe too convoluted, but still interesting to me.
MOTHER AND CHILD. This is the story of three women: Annette Bening, who as a 14-year-old gave up a child for adoption; Naomi Watts, the child she gave up, and Kerry Washington, who desperately wants to adopt a child. Both Annette and Naomi was strongly affected by the adoption - Annette is a strange, socially clueless woman, and Naomi is an aggressively independent woman. They both avoid relationships. The acting in this movie is terrific (including the supporting cast of Samuel Jackson, Jimmy Smits, and S. Epatha Merkerson). Although I was never bored by the story, it took some turns that were all too predictable, and others that were just unbelievable. Too bad - there aren't all that many movies about women these days.
EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP. Documentary based on the home movies filmed by Thierry Guetta, a Frenchman living in LA. He compulsively films everything. When he visits his cousin in Paris, noted street artist ( a step above graffiti) named Invader, Thierry becomes involved in the world of street art. He becomes more and more involved in filming street artists, and implies to them that he is making a documentary. But he really isn't; he is too disorganized. When he finally puts something together, his most famous subject, Banksy, a British street artist who has become a darling of the art crowd, is appalled at how bad the film is and takes over the making of the movie. And then the documentary focuses on Thierry, as he starts doing his own art. Interesting and entertaining, just on the street art portion of the film. But then the movie takes a little turn that I really enjoyed. Leading to questions about what is art. Don't want to give it away. Fun flick.
SECRET IN THEIR EYES. Winner of this year's Oscar for Best Foreign Film. It is about a former detective who is retired and has written a book about a 1970s rape-murder case he worked on. He has never been able to let go of how politics interfered with justice on the case. He asks his boss from from that time (she is now a judge) to take a look at the book for him. He was in love with her, but believing she was out of his league, he never acted on his feelings. The movie tells the two parallel stories, the rape-murder case that he has written about, and the now-older couple reconnecting. This is a very watchable movie - I like the way the stories just unfolded...
CASINO JACK AND THE UNITED STATES OF MONEY. Documentary about Jack Abramoff, who is serving a prison term for his shenanigans as a high profile lobbyist in Washington. He took vast sums of money from both garment manufacturers in the Marianas Islands (so they could continue to exploit workers) and Indian tribes (to support their casinos). He wasn't content to make gobs of money; he got involved in kickbacks as well. The movie describes Abramoff's start as an ambitious young college Republican to his fall from grace, and also highlights the huge amounts of money that politicians need to get elected, and the inherent corruption in our system. The investigation into his actions eventually brought down several Congressmen. Depressing, and maybe too convoluted, but still interesting to me.
MOTHER AND CHILD. This is the story of three women: Annette Bening, who as a 14-year-old gave up a child for adoption; Naomi Watts, the child she gave up, and Kerry Washington, who desperately wants to adopt a child. Both Annette and Naomi was strongly affected by the adoption - Annette is a strange, socially clueless woman, and Naomi is an aggressively independent woman. They both avoid relationships. The acting in this movie is terrific (including the supporting cast of Samuel Jackson, Jimmy Smits, and S. Epatha Merkerson). Although I was never bored by the story, it took some turns that were all too predictable, and others that were just unbelievable. Too bad - there aren't all that many movies about women these days.
EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP. Documentary based on the home movies filmed by Thierry Guetta, a Frenchman living in LA. He compulsively films everything. When he visits his cousin in Paris, noted street artist ( a step above graffiti) named Invader, Thierry becomes involved in the world of street art. He becomes more and more involved in filming street artists, and implies to them that he is making a documentary. But he really isn't; he is too disorganized. When he finally puts something together, his most famous subject, Banksy, a British street artist who has become a darling of the art crowd, is appalled at how bad the film is and takes over the making of the movie. And then the documentary focuses on Thierry, as he starts doing his own art. Interesting and entertaining, just on the street art portion of the film. But then the movie takes a little turn that I really enjoyed. Leading to questions about what is art. Don't want to give it away. Fun flick.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
April movie reviews
DATE NIGHT. Tina Fey and Steve Carrell are suburban married parents stuck in a rut. So they decide to go into the city on a date night. Arriving at a trendy restaurant, they find they have no chance of getting in without a reservation. So they take the reservation of a couple of no-shows. But it turns out that the no-shows are in trouble with some bad guys, and so Tina and Steve's night in the city turns into a series of crazy adventures running from bad guys and trying to get out of the jam there are in. Very cute movie; I laughed out loud quite a bit.
THE SQUARE. Australian noir. A middle aged man and a younger woman are in love. Problem is, they are both married to someone else. When the young wife discovers that her husband is hiding some money away, she tries to convince her older lover that they should steal the money so they could run away together. So begins their downward spiral. In typical noir fashion, one bad act leads to a series of unexpected consequences. I usually like this genre, and I really liked this movie. (Note: this movie is preceded by a 10-minute short film by the directors that I also thought was terrific.)
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. Animation by Dreamworks. Hiccup lives in a Viking village terrorized by dragons. He is a skinny boy, considered a lost cause as a warrior by his chieftain father. But Hiccup wants very badly to be a dragon killer and gain respect. He does shoot down a dragon, but discovers he doesn't have the heart to kill it. Instead, he makes friends with it. And he will become the hero he dreamed of. This movie has beautiful 3D animation, but for me, I thought this one more aimed at kids than adults.
THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA. DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS. Documentary on the life and times of Daniel Ellsberg, beginning with his work for the Rand Corporation (a Pentagon think-tank) in supporting the Vietnam War in the early years through his evolution to an anti-war activist. I knew the outlines of the story, but this goes much deeper into Ellsberg's past and motivations. Fascinating stuff, both the American history and the personal history of Ellsberg. I really enjoyed it.
GREENBERG. Ben Stiller is Greenberg, a New Yorker recently out of a mental institution after a nervous breakdown. He moves into his Los Angeles' brother's house to recuperate. The brother and his family go on vacation, and they leave the phone number of their young assistant for Greenberg, in case he needs anything. He does call Florence, and they develop an up and down relationship. Greenberg also reconnects with his high school buddies. The problem is, Greenberg is a terrible person. He seems to have a personality disorder that make him lash out at people, he seems to have no sense of appropriate behavior, he's completely self-centered, he's just a jerk. Plus there is the age difference. Still she sees something in him and puts up with his shit. I was not happy the two connected; she seemed too normal and nice to end up with a loser like that. I really disliked this movie. I didn't get that there was humor in this movie as it seems some critics did...
THE SQUARE. Australian noir. A middle aged man and a younger woman are in love. Problem is, they are both married to someone else. When the young wife discovers that her husband is hiding some money away, she tries to convince her older lover that they should steal the money so they could run away together. So begins their downward spiral. In typical noir fashion, one bad act leads to a series of unexpected consequences. I usually like this genre, and I really liked this movie. (Note: this movie is preceded by a 10-minute short film by the directors that I also thought was terrific.)
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. Animation by Dreamworks. Hiccup lives in a Viking village terrorized by dragons. He is a skinny boy, considered a lost cause as a warrior by his chieftain father. But Hiccup wants very badly to be a dragon killer and gain respect. He does shoot down a dragon, but discovers he doesn't have the heart to kill it. Instead, he makes friends with it. And he will become the hero he dreamed of. This movie has beautiful 3D animation, but for me, I thought this one more aimed at kids than adults.
THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA. DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS. Documentary on the life and times of Daniel Ellsberg, beginning with his work for the Rand Corporation (a Pentagon think-tank) in supporting the Vietnam War in the early years through his evolution to an anti-war activist. I knew the outlines of the story, but this goes much deeper into Ellsberg's past and motivations. Fascinating stuff, both the American history and the personal history of Ellsberg. I really enjoyed it.
GREENBERG. Ben Stiller is Greenberg, a New Yorker recently out of a mental institution after a nervous breakdown. He moves into his Los Angeles' brother's house to recuperate. The brother and his family go on vacation, and they leave the phone number of their young assistant for Greenberg, in case he needs anything. He does call Florence, and they develop an up and down relationship. Greenberg also reconnects with his high school buddies. The problem is, Greenberg is a terrible person. He seems to have a personality disorder that make him lash out at people, he seems to have no sense of appropriate behavior, he's completely self-centered, he's just a jerk. Plus there is the age difference. Still she sees something in him and puts up with his shit. I was not happy the two connected; she seemed too normal and nice to end up with a loser like that. I really disliked this movie. I didn't get that there was humor in this movie as it seems some critics did...
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
February & March movie reviews
THE LAST STATION. In his last years, Leo Tolstoy (Christopher Plummer) had a utopian philosophy that gave him a cult-like following. The leader of his followers, Chertov (Paul Giamatti) was single minded in his attempts to get Tolstoy to leave his followers the copyrights to his masterpieces. Tolstoy's wife, Sofya (Helen Mirren) was totally opposed, fearing that her husband would leave her and their many children destitute. So she is rather hysterical at the thought of it, and hates Chertov with a passion. She also does not share her husband's rather idealistic views, and is a bit reactionary. But it is clear that Leo and Sofya love each other dearly. Caught between the warring camps is Tolstoy's private secretary (James McAvoy.) Mirren is terrific in the role; despite her being rather paranoid about everything, one can certainly see her point of view. (Chertov comes off rather badly.) I really liked this movie.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Tim Burton's take on the classic children's story. Here Alice has grown up, and is feeling pushed toward a marriage she doesn't want. She thinks her memories of being down the rabbit hole 13 years ago were just a dream. At a party, she follows a rabbit, and once again is down the rabbit hole. Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter is the Red Queen. The story, such as it is, revolves around a battle between the Red Queen and White Queen. I liked the evil Red Queen (she was a hoot); but the rest of the movie was kind of a snooze for me. I would definitely recommend the movie for kids, especially girls, because they would probably be entertained and there is a girl power message that is appealing.
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE. John Cusack and his friends have gone their separate ways as they have grown older. When one (Rob Cordry) is suspected of having tried to commit suicide, they get together to help him out. The three, along with John's nephew, go back to their old stomping grounds at a ski resort. It's fallen on hard times, but there is still the hot tub. Which shorts out and sends them back to their happier days in the 80s. So they try not to change anything and get back to present time. I think this is supposed to be the 2010 version of THE HANGOVER. There are some funny bits, but I would say it's overall just mildly amusing. Too bad. Great premise.
THE GHOST WRITER. Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) is the Tony Blair-like ex-British prime minister, and Ewan McGregor is the ghost writer of his memoirs. (The previous writer, an aid to the ex-PM, drowned under somewhat mysterious circumstances.) Ewan is doing the book for the money, and is supposed to get it done in a month as he holes up on an isolated island (reached by ferry mostly) with Lang, his wife, and remaining staff and supporters. But then the World Court tries to extradite Lang for war crimes, and this isn't just a trip to work on a book. Ewan starts discovering evidence of things unsaid, and the suspense begins. This is a fine political thriller, not excellent, but worth a look. (I may be giving it less the wholehearted review because I guessed a significant part of the story line.) Directed by Roman Polanski.
GREEN ZONE. Matt Damon stars as a soldier in 2003 Iraq. His job is finding weapons of mass destruction, and when he keeps coming up empty, he starts questioning the intelligence he is getting. When leads him into the politics of the war. There is the slimy politician (Greg Kinnear) who doesn't care that the excuse for the war was wrong, a CIA agent (Brendon Gleeson) who is frustrated because he is dealing with people who don't understand Iraq, and a reporter (Amy Ryan) who was duped by informants about the presence of WMD in Iraq. Obviously, the movie is based on a lot of the actual events of the war. It's a different experience watching a movie where the Americans are both the good guys and the bad guys. Not an edge of my seat watch (despite all the shaky camera work), but a good movie, entertaining.
THE RUNAWAYS. In the 1970's teenager Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) wanted to rock and roll. She was able to hook up with a sleazy promoter/manager, and between the two of them they put together an all-girl rocking band, the Runaways. Cherie (Dakota Fanning) the lead singer, was only 15 when they started. The movie becomes a Behind the Scenes type story. Drugs, disagreements among the band members, etc. The depiction of the 1970's was certainly well done, but I wasn't that captured by the story. Probably because it was pretty superficial. There is the music, though.
PRODIGAL SONS. Kimberly Reed decides to make a documentary about returning home to Montana for her 20th high school reunion. She hasn't been back in a long while, and she is worried about how she will be greeted by the town and her former classmates. Because when she was in HS, she was Todd, the star quarterback. That story might have been more interesting (although her former classmates seem pretty OK with her), but in fact, the movie revolves around Kim's relationship with her brother. Marc was adopted a year before Kim was born, but held back a year in school (because he was ADD, I think), and he always felt overshadowed by Todd. Then, when he was in his early 20s, he was in a bad car accident and suffered a brain injury, which caused seizures, and now, violent outbursts. Kim wants to get along with her brother, and leave the past behind, but finds that Marc can't just let it go. So the movie is really about him, and secondarily about Kim coming to grips with her past (she seems to have more issues with it than others in the movie). I actually felt like Kim stuck with dealing with her brother longer than she would have ordinarily, just to have a movie. So although interesting (especially when you find out who Marc's birth family is), I didn't find it compelling.
ART OF THE STEAL. In the early 1900s, a Philadelphia doctor made tons of money in pharmaceuticals. He bought early modernist art before it was popular and collected a premier collection, perhaps worth 25 billion (yep, billion) dollars. He was shunned by Philadelphia society, though, so in his will, he ensured that the art remain outside of the Philadelphia establishment and be used as a teaching tool, not to make money as a museum exhibit. This movie details the steps people and institutions took since the doctor's death that completely invalidated his wishes. It is a one-sided view, because those on the other side wouldn't speak to the moviemakers. It's an interesting story, and well documented. One the one hand, I feel bad the the doctor's wishes aren't being respected; one the other hand, I think it's great that this art collection can now be seen by many more people. So the movie didn't enrage me or anything.
YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF. Brett (William Hurt) is getting out of a southern jail as the movie opens, and ends up catching a ride with a couple of teenagers on the road down to New Orleans, shortly after Katrina. Gordy, the driver, is kind of an odd young man, and we can see that he is probably escaping a home life where he was not understood. Teenager Martine (Kristen Stewart) knows her truck-driving dad won't notice if she is away from home for a while. Their stories slowly come out, and they get to know each other better during the ride through the back roads of the south. The main story is what Brett did to land in jail, and the woman he left behind when he went to prison. Kind of a lackadaisical movie...Not a subtle ending, but I liked it anyway.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Tim Burton's take on the classic children's story. Here Alice has grown up, and is feeling pushed toward a marriage she doesn't want. She thinks her memories of being down the rabbit hole 13 years ago were just a dream. At a party, she follows a rabbit, and once again is down the rabbit hole. Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter is the Red Queen. The story, such as it is, revolves around a battle between the Red Queen and White Queen. I liked the evil Red Queen (she was a hoot); but the rest of the movie was kind of a snooze for me. I would definitely recommend the movie for kids, especially girls, because they would probably be entertained and there is a girl power message that is appealing.
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE. John Cusack and his friends have gone their separate ways as they have grown older. When one (Rob Cordry) is suspected of having tried to commit suicide, they get together to help him out. The three, along with John's nephew, go back to their old stomping grounds at a ski resort. It's fallen on hard times, but there is still the hot tub. Which shorts out and sends them back to their happier days in the 80s. So they try not to change anything and get back to present time. I think this is supposed to be the 2010 version of THE HANGOVER. There are some funny bits, but I would say it's overall just mildly amusing. Too bad. Great premise.
THE GHOST WRITER. Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) is the Tony Blair-like ex-British prime minister, and Ewan McGregor is the ghost writer of his memoirs. (The previous writer, an aid to the ex-PM, drowned under somewhat mysterious circumstances.) Ewan is doing the book for the money, and is supposed to get it done in a month as he holes up on an isolated island (reached by ferry mostly) with Lang, his wife, and remaining staff and supporters. But then the World Court tries to extradite Lang for war crimes, and this isn't just a trip to work on a book. Ewan starts discovering evidence of things unsaid, and the suspense begins. This is a fine political thriller, not excellent, but worth a look. (I may be giving it less the wholehearted review because I guessed a significant part of the story line.) Directed by Roman Polanski.
GREEN ZONE. Matt Damon stars as a soldier in 2003 Iraq. His job is finding weapons of mass destruction, and when he keeps coming up empty, he starts questioning the intelligence he is getting. When leads him into the politics of the war. There is the slimy politician (Greg Kinnear) who doesn't care that the excuse for the war was wrong, a CIA agent (Brendon Gleeson) who is frustrated because he is dealing with people who don't understand Iraq, and a reporter (Amy Ryan) who was duped by informants about the presence of WMD in Iraq. Obviously, the movie is based on a lot of the actual events of the war. It's a different experience watching a movie where the Americans are both the good guys and the bad guys. Not an edge of my seat watch (despite all the shaky camera work), but a good movie, entertaining.
THE RUNAWAYS. In the 1970's teenager Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) wanted to rock and roll. She was able to hook up with a sleazy promoter/manager, and between the two of them they put together an all-girl rocking band, the Runaways. Cherie (Dakota Fanning) the lead singer, was only 15 when they started. The movie becomes a Behind the Scenes type story. Drugs, disagreements among the band members, etc. The depiction of the 1970's was certainly well done, but I wasn't that captured by the story. Probably because it was pretty superficial. There is the music, though.
PRODIGAL SONS. Kimberly Reed decides to make a documentary about returning home to Montana for her 20th high school reunion. She hasn't been back in a long while, and she is worried about how she will be greeted by the town and her former classmates. Because when she was in HS, she was Todd, the star quarterback. That story might have been more interesting (although her former classmates seem pretty OK with her), but in fact, the movie revolves around Kim's relationship with her brother. Marc was adopted a year before Kim was born, but held back a year in school (because he was ADD, I think), and he always felt overshadowed by Todd. Then, when he was in his early 20s, he was in a bad car accident and suffered a brain injury, which caused seizures, and now, violent outbursts. Kim wants to get along with her brother, and leave the past behind, but finds that Marc can't just let it go. So the movie is really about him, and secondarily about Kim coming to grips with her past (she seems to have more issues with it than others in the movie). I actually felt like Kim stuck with dealing with her brother longer than she would have ordinarily, just to have a movie. So although interesting (especially when you find out who Marc's birth family is), I didn't find it compelling.
ART OF THE STEAL. In the early 1900s, a Philadelphia doctor made tons of money in pharmaceuticals. He bought early modernist art before it was popular and collected a premier collection, perhaps worth 25 billion (yep, billion) dollars. He was shunned by Philadelphia society, though, so in his will, he ensured that the art remain outside of the Philadelphia establishment and be used as a teaching tool, not to make money as a museum exhibit. This movie details the steps people and institutions took since the doctor's death that completely invalidated his wishes. It is a one-sided view, because those on the other side wouldn't speak to the moviemakers. It's an interesting story, and well documented. One the one hand, I feel bad the the doctor's wishes aren't being respected; one the other hand, I think it's great that this art collection can now be seen by many more people. So the movie didn't enrage me or anything.
YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF. Brett (William Hurt) is getting out of a southern jail as the movie opens, and ends up catching a ride with a couple of teenagers on the road down to New Orleans, shortly after Katrina. Gordy, the driver, is kind of an odd young man, and we can see that he is probably escaping a home life where he was not understood. Teenager Martine (Kristen Stewart) knows her truck-driving dad won't notice if she is away from home for a while. Their stories slowly come out, and they get to know each other better during the ride through the back roads of the south. The main story is what Brett did to land in jail, and the woman he left behind when he went to prison. Kind of a lackadaisical movie...Not a subtle ending, but I liked it anyway.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
January movie reviews
AVATAR. Human beings have come to another planet - Pandora - where they intend to mine a precious mineral. Unfortunately, the mineral is located under a tree sacred to the indigenous people, the Na'vi, who live in harmony with all living things on their world. The humans can create avatars that look like the 10-feet tall, blue Na'vi, and Sigourney Weaver runs a program doing anthropological studies on them. She hopes to learn enough to convince them to relocate without the need for violence. On her team is a Marine who is a paraplegic (so he especially appreciates being in the avatar's body). He is captured by the locals, and begins to learn their ways. Meanwhile, the Na'vi people won't leave their homes, so the human military is determined to forcibly move them. I would say there isn't much that is original about the plot - and it's pretty heavy-handed - but director James Cameron has created such a beautifully realized world on Pandora that the movie is still well worth seeing. He did an amazing job making the world and the people believable. Too bad the story wasn't better.
CRAZY HEART. Jeff Bridges play Bad Blake, a down on his luck country singer. His days of playing big venues is long gone, and he is reduced to playing bowling alleys and such. Into one of his shows comes Maggie Gyllenhaal to interview him for a local paper. She is attracted to him and they will over time become friends, and then more than friends. I have to say, even though it is Jeff Bridges, I can't see any sensible woman being attracted to a sweaty, smoking, old alcoholic like Bad Blake. But, anyway, she will bring something out in him that he hasn't felt in a while. And her young son really brings out the goodness in him. Maybe he'll be redeemed by the love of a good woman. Or maybe not. Jeff Bridge is being acclaimed for his acting, but the movie was just OK for me. It would have helped if I could understand what Maggie saw in him. This is being compared to WRESTLER, and I can see that.
IT'S COMPLICATED. Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin have been divorced for over a decade (Alex cheated on her, and eventually married a young hottie). During their son's graduation, they get drunk and end up sleeping with each other. And Alex admits that life with his new wife isn't all that he had hoped. So it isn't just a one-time fling. Complications (ha!) ensue, including Meryl's attraction to her architect, Steve Martin. The movie is pretty cute, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't seen so many of the cute scenes in previews. Nothing special, but if you haven't seen many previews, it's a lightweight flick worth a look.
A TOWN CALLED PANIC. This low-tech claymation feature from Belgium is not your ordinary animated movie. It involves roommates Horse, Cowboy, and Indian. Horse is the leader and brains in the house. Cowboy and Indian want to get Horse a birthday present, but a mistake in their order makes things go horribly awry. And things just get stranger and stranger, including visits under the ocean and to the poles. Their crazy adventures are very silly, but I was smiling pretty much the whole time, so I guess I have to say it was a fun movie.
YOUNG VICTORIA. The young princess Victoria was over-protected by her parents, and her step-father wants to be the power between the throne. He is actually rather abusive to her. Once she becomes Queen, various factions want her married off to a suitor of their choice. And since she is so inexperienced, she has to rely on someone to help her rule, in this case the prime minister. One of her suitors is Prince Albert of Germany. Even though they both know they are being manipulated by others, Albert and Victoria still feel an attraction for each other. Now, I know a superficial love story between 19th century royalty isn't going to be many people's cup of tea, but I enjoyed the movie.
BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS. Nicholas Cage is a sergeant in the New Orleans police dept. during the Katrina disaster. When trying to save someone, he hurts his back. Six months and a promotion later, he is addicted to pain killers and cocaine. He also has gambling debts. He is one big mess, but he is still on the job. Four days after seeing this movie, I can barely remember the plot. It was so bizarre. It was cleverly resolved, but...not memorable.
CRAZY HEART. Jeff Bridges play Bad Blake, a down on his luck country singer. His days of playing big venues is long gone, and he is reduced to playing bowling alleys and such. Into one of his shows comes Maggie Gyllenhaal to interview him for a local paper. She is attracted to him and they will over time become friends, and then more than friends. I have to say, even though it is Jeff Bridges, I can't see any sensible woman being attracted to a sweaty, smoking, old alcoholic like Bad Blake. But, anyway, she will bring something out in him that he hasn't felt in a while. And her young son really brings out the goodness in him. Maybe he'll be redeemed by the love of a good woman. Or maybe not. Jeff Bridge is being acclaimed for his acting, but the movie was just OK for me. It would have helped if I could understand what Maggie saw in him. This is being compared to WRESTLER, and I can see that.
IT'S COMPLICATED. Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin have been divorced for over a decade (Alex cheated on her, and eventually married a young hottie). During their son's graduation, they get drunk and end up sleeping with each other. And Alex admits that life with his new wife isn't all that he had hoped. So it isn't just a one-time fling. Complications (ha!) ensue, including Meryl's attraction to her architect, Steve Martin. The movie is pretty cute, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't seen so many of the cute scenes in previews. Nothing special, but if you haven't seen many previews, it's a lightweight flick worth a look.
A TOWN CALLED PANIC. This low-tech claymation feature from Belgium is not your ordinary animated movie. It involves roommates Horse, Cowboy, and Indian. Horse is the leader and brains in the house. Cowboy and Indian want to get Horse a birthday present, but a mistake in their order makes things go horribly awry. And things just get stranger and stranger, including visits under the ocean and to the poles. Their crazy adventures are very silly, but I was smiling pretty much the whole time, so I guess I have to say it was a fun movie.
YOUNG VICTORIA. The young princess Victoria was over-protected by her parents, and her step-father wants to be the power between the throne. He is actually rather abusive to her. Once she becomes Queen, various factions want her married off to a suitor of their choice. And since she is so inexperienced, she has to rely on someone to help her rule, in this case the prime minister. One of her suitors is Prince Albert of Germany. Even though they both know they are being manipulated by others, Albert and Victoria still feel an attraction for each other. Now, I know a superficial love story between 19th century royalty isn't going to be many people's cup of tea, but I enjoyed the movie.
BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS. Nicholas Cage is a sergeant in the New Orleans police dept. during the Katrina disaster. When trying to save someone, he hurts his back. Six months and a promotion later, he is addicted to pain killers and cocaine. He also has gambling debts. He is one big mess, but he is still on the job. Four days after seeing this movie, I can barely remember the plot. It was so bizarre. It was cleverly resolved, but...not memorable.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Favorite movies of 2009
There were a lot of terrific movies this year, but my top two (I couldn't decide which was tops) were the very different INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (Aug) and THE HURT LOCKER (July). AN EDUCATION (Oct) was a close third. I also really enjoyed THE INFORMANT (Sept), FUNNY PEOPLE (Aug)and UP IN THE AIR (Dec).
The Best Animated - UP (May). PRINCESS AND THE FROG was very good, but UP is a classic.
The Funniest - THE HANGOVER (June).
Best Science Fiction - STAR TREK (if you want to call it sci-f :-) (May)). DISTRICT 9 (Aug), and MOON (June).
Best Foreign films - from Japan DEPARTURES (June), from Sweden EVERLASTING MOMENTS (Apr), and the Denmark FLAME AND CITRON (Aug).
Best Documentary - HARVARD BEATS YALE 29-29 (Mar).
Best Relationship Movies - (5OO) DAYS OF SUMMER (Jul) and ADAM (Sept).
Best Sports Movies - SUGAR (May)and DAMNED UNITED. (Oct)
The Best Animated - UP (May). PRINCESS AND THE FROG was very good, but UP is a classic.
The Funniest - THE HANGOVER (June).
Best Science Fiction - STAR TREK (if you want to call it sci-f :-) (May)). DISTRICT 9 (Aug), and MOON (June).
Best Foreign films - from Japan DEPARTURES (June), from Sweden EVERLASTING MOMENTS (Apr), and the Denmark FLAME AND CITRON (Aug).
Best Documentary - HARVARD BEATS YALE 29-29 (Mar).
Best Relationship Movies - (5OO) DAYS OF SUMMER (Jul) and ADAM (Sept).
Best Sports Movies - SUGAR (May)and DAMNED UNITED. (Oct)
Saturday, January 2, 2010
December movie reviews
UP IN THE AIR. George Clooney is Ryan Bingham, who is on the road 300+ days a year in his job as a hired gun firing employees for companies who don't can't bring themselves to fire their employees. He seems to take pride in his job, and he is good at it. He also really loves accumulating the frequent flier miles, with a goal of getting to some super elite status. He is OK leading a life with no human connections (he also teaches seminars telling people it is good to have no personal baggage). When his company threatens to ground him, he takes a new employee on the road to show her the ropes. The young woman is understandably appalled by his lifestyle and attitudes. A second story line involves Ryan meeting a woman (Vera Farmiga) that sparks something in him. (She is a commitment-phobe as well). He is surprised that she is someone he actually wants to spend time with. The movie doesn't go to expected places, and while very funny at times, is also quite touching. And Clooney is perfect for the role. A definite two-thumbs up.
INVICTUS. After Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) was released from prison in the early 1990’s and became president in South Africa, he was faced with the daunting task of trying to bring his country together. One of the methods he used to unite people was to encourage the South Africa rugby team (captained by Matt Damon) to be competitive in time for the 1994 World Cup, which was going to be held in South Africa. The team had been hated by the country's black population- rugby was overwhelmingly a white man's sport, and the team was a symbol of black oppression. But Mandela sees the power of sports on the national psyche. Although the movie ends with a climatic rugby match, this isn't a typical inspirational sports movie. It is more an intellectual look at politics, how leadership works, and about the political savvy of Mandela. He is a brilliant man. This is a good (not great) movie.
THE BLIND SIDE. LeeAnn Twohy (Sandra Bullock) is a well-to-do designer in Memphis Tennessee - a steel magnolia Southern woman. While driving home one evening, she discovers a teenage boy walking out in the freezing cold. Realizing he has nowhere to go, she lets him stay the night in her house. She discovers he has no home (no dad, taken from mom because she was addicted to crack, kicked out of a friend's house), and eventually the teenager becomes part of her family. Not just that, LeeAnn makes sure he does well in school so he can play football. This is based on the true story of Michael Oher, who is now a professional football player. I was surprised by how much I liked this movie. It is inspirational without being treacly or preachy.
A SINGLE MAN. George (Colin Firth) is an English professor in 1962 Los Angeles. Eight months earlier, he lost his long-time lover in a car accident. And he is not getting over his grief. And, because he is gay, he really can't share how devastated he is with anyone (except one old friend played by Julianne Moore). His pain is palpable, and he doesn't see a future. He is just going through the motions. He has a gun... Now, I will agree with all the critics that are raving about Colin Firth's performance, because he really does an amazing job, both in the grieving and in the flashbacks to his life with his lover. But as far as the movie goes, despite the outstanding acting, the recreation of the 1960s, and the style of the film, I thought it was too low-key. Watching a man being depressed (practically catatonic) for the first half of the movie nearly put me in a coma.
PRINCESS AND THE FROG. This is a delightful movie by Disney, with the look of their classic animated films. The pictures of jazz-era New Orleans are beautifully drawn. This is an updated Disney, though, because the lead character, Tiana, doesn't want to marry a prince. She is working hard make her dream of having a restaurant come true. When a ne'er do well prince arrives in town, the prince gets involved with a practitioner of voodoo, and before you know it, the prince is a frog. He will involve Tiana in his predicament and they will end up in the swamp befriended by a firefly and an alligator. And so it goes in the Disney way. Catchy tunes with a New Orleans feel by Randy Newman. I thought this was a very sweet movie. At one point I even had a tear in my eye. Awwww.
ME AND ORSON WELLES. Zac Efron is Richard, a wanna-be actor in 1937 New York. One day he is outside the Mercury Theater, and Orson Welles hires him for a bit part in his play "Caesar", opening in a week. The movie follows the young kid's introduction into how much it takes to put on a theatrical show. Plus he has his first romance. And he learns the pros and cons of dealing with a genius like Welles. The movie's real highlight is Orson Welles, who was such a fascinating man. Although I somewhat liked the movie, I think it would probably be more for viewers who know a little background about Welles and the Mercury Theater, because there are some historical references that might be lost otherwise. (Although I am not sure they are important.) I enjoyed the movie, but other than a great performance by the guy playing Welles (you can really believe it is Welles), I am only mildly enthusiastic about it.
EVERYBODY'S FINE. Robert DeNiro is a recently widowed, retired factory worker. When all of his kids (including Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, and Kate Beckinsale) bail on a family get-together, he goes on the road to visit each of the four in their various home cities. Of course, he finds during the visits that all of the kids have issues/problems he didn't know about. Part of the communication problem lay in the fact that dad expected a lot of his kids, so they are afraid to disappoint him. There are no big reveals, nothing over the top. Nothing unpredictable either. Although not exactly a ground-breaking family drama, it was a decent enough movie. It least it isn't overly sentimental or tear-jerking. But not really worth the price of a ticket.
INVICTUS. After Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) was released from prison in the early 1990’s and became president in South Africa, he was faced with the daunting task of trying to bring his country together. One of the methods he used to unite people was to encourage the South Africa rugby team (captained by Matt Damon) to be competitive in time for the 1994 World Cup, which was going to be held in South Africa. The team had been hated by the country's black population- rugby was overwhelmingly a white man's sport, and the team was a symbol of black oppression. But Mandela sees the power of sports on the national psyche. Although the movie ends with a climatic rugby match, this isn't a typical inspirational sports movie. It is more an intellectual look at politics, how leadership works, and about the political savvy of Mandela. He is a brilliant man. This is a good (not great) movie.
THE BLIND SIDE. LeeAnn Twohy (Sandra Bullock) is a well-to-do designer in Memphis Tennessee - a steel magnolia Southern woman. While driving home one evening, she discovers a teenage boy walking out in the freezing cold. Realizing he has nowhere to go, she lets him stay the night in her house. She discovers he has no home (no dad, taken from mom because she was addicted to crack, kicked out of a friend's house), and eventually the teenager becomes part of her family. Not just that, LeeAnn makes sure he does well in school so he can play football. This is based on the true story of Michael Oher, who is now a professional football player. I was surprised by how much I liked this movie. It is inspirational without being treacly or preachy.
A SINGLE MAN. George (Colin Firth) is an English professor in 1962 Los Angeles. Eight months earlier, he lost his long-time lover in a car accident. And he is not getting over his grief. And, because he is gay, he really can't share how devastated he is with anyone (except one old friend played by Julianne Moore). His pain is palpable, and he doesn't see a future. He is just going through the motions. He has a gun... Now, I will agree with all the critics that are raving about Colin Firth's performance, because he really does an amazing job, both in the grieving and in the flashbacks to his life with his lover. But as far as the movie goes, despite the outstanding acting, the recreation of the 1960s, and the style of the film, I thought it was too low-key. Watching a man being depressed (practically catatonic) for the first half of the movie nearly put me in a coma.
PRINCESS AND THE FROG. This is a delightful movie by Disney, with the look of their classic animated films. The pictures of jazz-era New Orleans are beautifully drawn. This is an updated Disney, though, because the lead character, Tiana, doesn't want to marry a prince. She is working hard make her dream of having a restaurant come true. When a ne'er do well prince arrives in town, the prince gets involved with a practitioner of voodoo, and before you know it, the prince is a frog. He will involve Tiana in his predicament and they will end up in the swamp befriended by a firefly and an alligator. And so it goes in the Disney way. Catchy tunes with a New Orleans feel by Randy Newman. I thought this was a very sweet movie. At one point I even had a tear in my eye. Awwww.
ME AND ORSON WELLES. Zac Efron is Richard, a wanna-be actor in 1937 New York. One day he is outside the Mercury Theater, and Orson Welles hires him for a bit part in his play "Caesar", opening in a week. The movie follows the young kid's introduction into how much it takes to put on a theatrical show. Plus he has his first romance. And he learns the pros and cons of dealing with a genius like Welles. The movie's real highlight is Orson Welles, who was such a fascinating man. Although I somewhat liked the movie, I think it would probably be more for viewers who know a little background about Welles and the Mercury Theater, because there are some historical references that might be lost otherwise. (Although I am not sure they are important.) I enjoyed the movie, but other than a great performance by the guy playing Welles (you can really believe it is Welles), I am only mildly enthusiastic about it.
EVERYBODY'S FINE. Robert DeNiro is a recently widowed, retired factory worker. When all of his kids (including Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, and Kate Beckinsale) bail on a family get-together, he goes on the road to visit each of the four in their various home cities. Of course, he finds during the visits that all of the kids have issues/problems he didn't know about. Part of the communication problem lay in the fact that dad expected a lot of his kids, so they are afraid to disappoint him. There are no big reveals, nothing over the top. Nothing unpredictable either. Although not exactly a ground-breaking family drama, it was a decent enough movie. It least it isn't overly sentimental or tear-jerking. But not really worth the price of a ticket.
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