Rating: B
Premise: Two girls go to Spain for the summer. One is getting married and the other is a bit lost. They both fall for the same artist. One girl still gets married and the other ends up living with him and his crazy ex-girlfriend. Then everyone breaks up.
Recommend: Yes/No. I watched part of it and then had to restart it. It wasn’t terrible but I’m thinking it just wasn’t my kind of movie. Penelope Cruz played crazy really well and Javier Bardem is always worth watching.
Rating: B+
Premise: A young man raised in the slums makes it all the way to the final question in the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and gets violently questioned on how he could be so smart.
Recommend: Yes. I thought this was really good. The little kid actors in this movie are the real stars. One gag-worthy scene at the beginning of the movie. Have to see the rest of the nominated movies before I decide if this was the best or just a nice bandwagon to jump on.
Rating: B+
Premise: A lonely widower who is bored with his life as a professor arrives at his apartment in NYC to find that an immigrant couple have taken up house.
Recommend: Yes, definitely. This movie is highly character driven and everyone in it does a fantastic job.
Rating: B-
Premise: Rachel is a rehabbing addict who goes home for her sister’s wedding and causes all kinds of family drama.
Recommend: Yes, but not to everyone. Anne Hathaway gives a great performance but the movie as a whole is quirky and a bit tiresome.
Rating: C+
Actors making a movie about rescuing a war hero from the enemy in Vietnam, end up rescuing one of their own from the enemy in Vietnam.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this movie, but I was assured that it was full of huge laughs.
Not so much.
There were a few really funny moments but overall, not so good. If you must see it and haven’t seen it yet, rent it. Got a C+ for Robert Downey Jr. He’s excellent!
Rating: B+
Premise: A young detective couple gets hired to find a missing 4 year old girl. They uncover drugs and a police conspiracy.
Recommend: Yes. I wasn’t too sure about this but everyone said I had to rent it. I did and I really liked it. Some violence. Not for kids.
Premise: A sort of bio-pic about Bob Dylan.
Recommend?: No. I was intrigued by the multiple people playing Bob Dylan and was wondering how they would pull it off. Turns out – they aren’t playing Bob Dylan but Bob Dylan’s “roles” in life. It is totally bizarre and I didn’t like it at all. I got through an hour before turning it off.
I gave it a “D” instead of an “F” because the actor’s performances were great.
Rating: A
Premise: Batman and the new DA are trying to fight the mob and the Joker.
Recommend: YES! I went in overly critical of the fuss surrounding Heath Ledger’s Joker and let me tell you, it is not overly-hyped. He was fantastic. The movie is really violent and some scenes are a disturbing but I loved it. I thought it was better than Batman Begins. Everyone in it was great (except Maggie Gyllenhaal, who wasn’t terrible but miscast).
Rating: A
Premise: Lars is a young man whose mother died in childbirth and never really knew what it was like to love or be loved. He orders an “anatomically correct” doll named Bianca and falls in love with her. The effect this has on his small town is extraordinary
Recommend: YES! I was on the fence about seeing this one but the premise was so interesting that I added it to my queue. This movie had me crying with its sweetness. Ryan Gosling is outstanding. You must see this.
Rating: A+
WALL-E is the last robot on earth, doing his job picking up the trash. His happy little life is disrupted when another robot, Eve, comes to town.
I had no idea what to expect out of this movie. The last two Pixar films I thought were good but not the greatest. This little movie is WONDERFUL!!! More than a robot movie, it’s a love story. I would see it again and again. It is definitely for all ages.
Oh, and there is no dialog for the first 45 minutes. You don’t miss it.
The short they play prior to the movie, Presto, is genius. LOL funny.
Rating: A
Animated movie that depics the life of Marjane Satrapi's life from her childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution to her adulthood in Europe.
This is a beautiful movie. A must-see.
Rating: C+
Story of Congressman Charlie Wilson and his efforts to increase US support for Afghanistan fighting the Soviets...basically bringing an end to the Cold War.
This was an okay movie. The + in the C+ is specifically due to Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance, which was wonderful. Tom Hanks did a good job. Julia Roberts had the worst makeup and hairstyles I've ever seen - not a huge fan anyway but her makeup artists made her look really awful. Not a definite recommend but if you are stuck watching it just pay attention to PSH's performance.
Rating: C
This takes place in a world where people's souls live outside their body in the form of an animal. There is a conspiracy going on to remove the soul from children so they remain innocent. A child, Lyra, is destined to fix this.
So I think that was the synopsis. I'm not a huge fan of fantasy because there are usually too many worlds, creatures and plots and this was no different. I got it towards the end. It was well done just not my thing. Although I would watch a sequel if they decide to make it. I suppose I'm undecided. For Daniel Craig fans, he's only in it for a few minutes.
Rating: B-
A brother & sister who have a tenuous relationship at best are forced to come together to care for their estranged father who has dementia.
This is a heavy movie. There are some comedic moments but the characters and their situations are depressing. Written by the same woman that wrote Slums of Beverly Hills. I liked it but it won't be for everyone.
Rating: A
Story of a Kabul born man living in America, who goes back to Afghanistan to bring home his best friend's son.
I thought this movie was beautiful. I haven't yet read the book so I don't know how it compares, but due to this movie I'm no longer reserving "A" ratings for movies I'm going to buy. (although I might buy this one so I can lend it out) The actors are exceptional and the story is very moving. There are some hard scenes in it so even though there are children in it - it may not be appropriate. Lots of subtitles. I would have picked this as a Best Picture contender. It did get nominated for Best Score.
Rating: B+
The story of David Plainview, an oil tycoon with no soul.
I was hesitant to watch this because the title suggested to me that it would be violent, as in "No Country for Old Men" violent. It wasn't. There were some killings but the "blood" in this title relates to the blood in the earth; oil. Daniel Day Lewis gave a genius performance. The supporting cast was fantastic - special props to Paul Dano. Definitely not a movie for kids and it is very character driven.
Rating: B+
A bored housewife and lonely house-husband start an affair. Oh and there's a pervert in their neighborhood.
Well, the idea of watching a movie based on infidelity didn't excite me that much but it was really really good. The ending comes together in a real interesting way. Definitely a recommend.
Rating: A
A young man gives up everything to live a life of solitude in the Alaskan wilderness.
So while I was watching the movie, I was thinking that I could take it or leave it. But as I'm sitting here after it's ended - I can't stop thinking about it. The fact that it was a true story makes it more thought provoking. You'll want to talk to your parents after its over.
Rating: A
A young girl witnesses a scene between her older sister and a young man. She misinterprets the scene and sets off a series of events.
That sentence sucks but if I tell you more, it will give away the movie. I thought this movie was wonderful. The ending was so unexpected and powerful. James McAvoy is turning into one of my favorites. In my opinion, this movie should have won Best Picture. I loved "No Country" but this was hands down better. Go watch this movie. Now.
Rating: B+++
In a small trailer trash town in Texas, a man finds $2 million in a drug deal gone wrong. Unfortunately for him, the man who was supposed to get the $2 million is a psycho killer with an air compressor and machine gun.
I thought this movie was really good. Javier Bardem, of the unfortunate haircut, was excellent as the killer with no soul. I thought Tommy Lee Jones was the best o' the bunch though. Tons of violence. TONS. The ending is non-hollywood but it works.
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