The Kids Are All Right (2010)

I had read some medium reviews of this, and I really wasn't looking forward to it. I don't like artificial families where everything is too perfect (think Nancy Meyers' films - perfect kids and beautiful houses). You may say, Nancy Meyers films have divorces and affairs and fights - that's real. But I object to the squeaky clean and beautifully decorated houses, perfect clothes, lack of money problems type of family portrayal. The kids that get along so well they climb into bed together and comfort each other. In a non-icky way.

Well, this movie flirts with that type of a family. There are two kids, and two moms (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) and a lovely house. One of the moms is a doctor, the other quit trying to find a career before the kids were born and never did figure out the work side of things. Both kids are very well adjusted and sensible. However, the younger kid does want to find their sperm donor. Mark Ruffalo enters, and things really get messed up, but not permanently, and not in a truly messy way. We've all seen a ruined family, right? This movie is pretty fake. So it's an OK rental with good performances and some funny scenes, but there's no substance.

BTW - the director is another woman: Lisa Cholodenko. Two of her earlier films are Lauren Canyon and High Art - I will check them out.

Black Swan (2010)

I went to see this again. It is my pick for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress. The first time I went by myself. This time I went with my mom. She says there is no contest between this and Social Network: Black Swan is better. We talked about it a bunch. Mom has a theory about the end that I agree with; I am going to stick with that theory for a while. Unless someone convinces me of a different theory.

The King's Speech (2010)

Well, the Best Actor statuette is Colin Firth's to lose at this point. Considering that the Weinstein Brothers are behind this film, I don't think it will lose any publicity wars in the days up to the ceremony. I hope he gets it. I understand why he lost to Jeff Bridges last year (Jeff did a fantastic job with a much showier role in Crazy Heart versus Colin Firth in A Single Man), but this year - I hope - is Colin's year.

This is the story of Queen Elizabeth's father, King George VI, who succeeded to the throne after his brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson. King George, known as Bertie to his family, had a terrible stutter. One of the great points of the movie is when you learn of the many likely reasons for the stutter in a non-mawkish scene. Bertie takes the throne as England is moving into WWII, and he needs to address the country on the radio - frequently. He has tried many speech coaches, with horrible results, until he meets Lionel Logue, played by Geoffrey Rush.

The movie does tend to be a little too sweet, mainly around Geoffrey Rush's performance. But I will forgive it a lot, for this is a fascinating story with great performances directed in a far above average manner. The director is Tom Hooper, and he is not all that experienced. He did Longford (with Jim Broadbent and Samantha Morton - a TV movie I reviewed somewhere in here), several episodes of John Adams, and The Damn United. I can hardly wait to see what he does next.

The Fighter (2010)

This is so much more than a fight film. The fighting is secondary to family, family favorites and what drugs do to a person and relationships. The performances here are amazing. It is Christian Bale's film, but my favorite performance was Melissa Leo's as the mother of the nine (9!!!) kids of that family. She is NOT a good mom. She and Christian Bale should both get Oscar nominations. Amy Adams and Mark Wahlberg may as well.

The seven sisters (of Mickey and Dicky) in this film are hilarious. They are tough as nails, bitchy, nasty, East Coast Irish with sky-high bangs and really, really bad hair in general. These women made me laugh each time they were on scene. I love actors.

If you like great acting, muscular chests or fight films, put this one in your queue.

True Grit (2010)

I was stressing about this one. I adore the original with John W, and I really didn't want the remake to mess that up.

Luckily the Coen brothers directed this, and they are geniuses. This movie was beautiful - literally and figuratively. The cinematography is stunning, and the shots were set up by someone who knew what they were doing.

The movie was grittier in terms of lighting and cleanliness and the villains' teeth. I like that - I like a gritty movie. The villains were perfectly cast, but then I thought they were perfect in the original. The acting is often better in this one. Glenn Ford was never my favorite as LaBeouf, but Matt Damon takes this character to a new place. As with many Coen brother characters, he's more of a buffoon here, which is fun. The same is true with Josh Brolin's Tom Chaney. The actors in this movie have so much fun with their voices it is a joy to watch.

There are the two main characters: Rooster and Mattie. Jeff Bridges is awesome. I don't think he tries to be John Wayne, which helps. Hailee Steinfeld is, I think, better than Kim Darby. Kim was excellent with the dialog, but more childish. Hailee seems like a more mature 14 year old, and she is just as good with the dialog, maybe better, than Kim.

The dialog - what to say? One thing that makes this movie better than the original, I believe, is that it has more of the Charles Portis dialog from the book. There is no describing it: very stylized, verbose, perfect. Please, please go watch this one.

Eat Pray Love (2010)

This is a really bad movie. I read the book, and I liked it (which means a lot of people have made fun of me), so I wondered how the movie would turn out. It's a talkie book, which is often hard to translate to film. The reviews told me this was a bad one, but I had to check it out for myself.

Julia Roberts plays Elizabeth Gilbert, a writer who goes through a rough divorce. To recover she spends 4 months in Italy to eat, 4 months in India to pray, and 4 months in Bali to find balance - but there she also found love. (The book is a memoir of her year.)

Elizabeth Gilbert had Julia Roberts play her in the movie - how's that for an ego boost? And the love interest is Javier Bardem, which is just unfair. This movie has a lot going for it: beautiful locations, great performances (Richard Jenkins, Billy Crudup, James Franco, Viola Davis - plus the leads), a great Eddie Veder song during the credits.

Here is what it needs: editing - holy shit - this needs editing; better dialog; way less shots of food, food being prepared, food being chewed. This was a boring movie much of the time, with sticky sweetness thrown in to make it boring and nauseating.

Detective Story (1951)

This is a William Wyler film, which explains why I could not stop watching even though it really wasn't my thing. Wyler was an amazing director: Funny Girl, Roman Holiday, The Best Years of Our Lives - these are just a few of his movies that are proof of his skill.

This one stars Kirk Douglas as a very, very hard nosed detective who does not understand that bad people can do good things and good people can do bad things. He thinks of himself as only good, on the side of all that is right, but of course he is wrong. It is really, super, extra special melodramatic, which was a style that I have never learned to love. Nevertheless, I could not stop watching this one.

If you like Wyler, Kirk Douglas, old cars or old police dramas, pick this one up.

Inception (2010)

This one will be up for some awards (already is at the Golden Globes), and it should be nominated. This is a beautiful film with an incredible vision. I think a lot of people said that about Avatar last year, but this movie has more than just cartoon people to speak for it. This movie actually has an interesting story and great performances.

There have been a few movies this year that try to keep you guessing about what is really happening. Black Swan is a great one. Shutter Island was not so great, and it also starred Leo. I don't think Leo had to stretch himself much for either one, but Inception is a far more interesting and nuanced film. Leo is a corporate spy who gets his information by invading his target's dreams. The effects here are amazing. I particularly liked the no gravity scenes.

It's hard to keep track of all the dreams, who is doing what to whom, etc., but the movie tries to help. Ariadne (Ellen Page), actually asks at one point - Wait, who's dream is this? Or something along those lines. It's very hard to keep track.

The best acting in the film is Marion Cotillard. She plays a sinister character, but she doesn't overact. She is a controlled evil character, which is much more fun and scary to me. Also, Marion one a best actress Oscar for La Vie en Rose, about the life of Edith Piaf. Piaf's most famous song is Je ne Regrette Rien, which is the song used in Inception to kick the dreamers awake. Also, her name is Mal in this movie, which is French for bad. Do you think these facts could possibly be a coincidence? I do not. I love that kind of shit. Thanks to the director, Christopher Nolan, this film kept me mainly interested.

I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and he was woefully underused. Too bad.

Go see Black Swan! (2010)

Psycho sexual thriller. Are there three better words put together in our language? Maybe macaroni and cheese. Sky-high heels. I don't know. When a movie is put together this well, psycho sexual thriller might beat eating a great bowl of Mac while wearing your favorite stilettos.

I haven't liked a movie this much in a long time. Winter's Bone rocked, and I want to see it again, but this blew me away! You have got to go watch Natalie Portman. She is the gal to beat for Best Actress at this time. In one movie she plays sweet and virginal, a repressed daughter isolated by an overbearing mother, an ambitious dancer, a paranoid member of the troup, a dancer being eaten alive by her role, a sexual predator. The fear that shows on her face, the nervousness that suddenly will transform to avaricious hunger and control, is amazing.

I cannot believe Darren Aronofsky pulled this off. On its face, this should be a nutty horror film, but with acting and editing and cinematography and so much creativity and MOOD, this is a ride in somebody's mind. I think it's a ride in Aronofsky's mind, with Natalie as a translator. She needs a bunch of awards for this one.

Rare Exports - A Christmas Tale (2010)

Doesn't this sound like it could be a documentary about Christmas? You should tell your friends that it's a documentary, or a heartwarming tale of Christmas magic / miracles, and drag them to the cinema. You may never hear the end of it.

This is a Finnish import. Apparently, Finland was the real home of the real Santa. Only he wasn't a jolly old elf, he was a demon who liked to eat children. His elves were really his minions, running around collecting kids, etc. Hundreds of years ago the townspeople trapped him in the ice, but now some idiot Russian has excavated him. Crap. It's almost Christmas and Santa's coming! The children start disappearing, and nobody understands what's happening except for one little boy.

I really, really enjoyed this. I would call it a thriller / comedy / horror film, but whatever the genre, it's well done. The production quality is great, the dialog is funny, the men are stupid reindeer hunters, the scenery is amazing. There are no women in the film. I would like an explanation about the source of the children, but hey, this is the movies.

There is no gore. All the (human) dying is implied and takes place off-screen - I believe. Don't quote me. I recommend this one - try to catch it on Christmas Eve.

Kick-Ass (2010)

There are parts of this movie that are laugh out-loud funny, and then there are parts that really suck. Overall, tho, if you like alternative action, spoofs, satires or comic books, pick this one up.

The basic story: a high school non-entity wants to be a superhero (Kick-Ass), so he orders a costume and a mask and gets the crap beat out of him. Along the way, tho, he actually does some deeds that are a bit impressive, the deeds get posted online, and he develops a fan following. Pretty soon he runs into a real superhero (of the Batman genre), known as Big Daddy (Nic Cage) and Big Daddy's daughter, a ten-year old known as Hit Girl.

Hit Girl does not get top billing, but she should - she IS the show. Played by Chloe Moretz, this little girl is a foul-mouthed fighting machine. She rocks. I would like to see more Hit Girl. Kick Ass is pretty funny, too, but the movie gets distracted by unneeded, stupid sub-plots. Kick-Ass as his high school self plays gay to get a girl. Big Daddy has a vendetta / rivalry with the local drug kingpin (Mark Strong), while his former cop partner wants him to give Mindy / Hit Girl a normal childhood. These sub-plots should have been edited out, and there should have been more scenes like Kick-Ass and Red Mist dancing to Gnarls Barkley in the car, being total dorks. Those scenes gave the movie a light silliness which nicely offsets Hit Girl unleashing HELL on Mark Strong's henchmen.

Yep - Mark Strong once again plays a bad guy, and his not-very-good NY accent slips in and out of use here. Nic Cage starts out as a ridiculous cheese-ball character, which works all right for him, but then he slips into downright crap acting and he's the Nic we know and love to hate. It's good to be reliable.

BTW, why do publicity shots of an 11 year old try to make her look sexy? Eeew. Still, if you like to see people take a chance with a film and a genre, even if it doesn't totally work, rent this one.

The Sunshine Boys (1975)

This stars George Burns, of vaudeville, radio, film and TV fame. He was entertainment royalty. His partner, the other half of the Sunshine Boys, is Walter Matthau. Together they play an old (as in aged, no longer working, with all their friends dying) vaudeville team who is asked to rehearse one last performance for a TV show about the history of comedy. The money is good, but there is a problem: they haven't spoken in years as Matthau's Clark hates Burns' Lewis. (They are Lewis and Clark, the Sunshine boys.)

The vaudeville sketch does not hold up at all (in my mind). I do not see vaudeville as funny - the jokes are too broad, too coarse. Perhaps people who enjoy the Three Stooges will find it funny. But these two performers are impeccable. They have timing and delivery that is educational to watch. Their fights and dialog as two old friends are amazing. I would recommend this for anyone who appreciates great performances.

Sex and the City 2

This movie is so bad it is scary. I am really, really disappointed. Let me describe the badness. The dialog is bad. The supposed stress that each gal is experiencing is mostly phony and forced and - bad. Liza Minelli officiates Stanford's marriage, and she can barely talk - her face is really frozen. It's bad. The plot is choppy and boring. Samantha is no longer interesting, just crude. Why did they give her such terrible lines? There are tons of one-liners, but many made me cringe.

Miley Cyrus is cute; Penelope Cruz is hot and charming, Liza's dance scene is fun. But the girls? Their part was a big, fat, dirty let-down.

I loved the show, I loved the first movie, and I really, really always loved the clothes. I never thought I would say this, but the clothes were not enough to save this crappy movie.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

This is an incredible story, and even if only part of it is accurate, it's still an incredible story. If you haven't ever watched it, pick it up or put it in your queue.

I feel it is pretty much established that Ron Howard knows how to make movie. You take a great story, tell it straight out and add great actors. He is excellent with this formula. Think of Splash, for God's sake.

Well, this story is great. A genius mathematician turns out to also be a paranoid schizophrenic. That doesn't stop him from winning a Nobel prize. And the cast? Russell Crow is Nash, the mathematician. Ed Harris and Paul Bettany are there, Jennifer Connelly is his wife. It's a great group in the hands of an able director.

Russell Crowe should have won the Oscar for this one.

It did win Supporting Actress, Director, Picture and Adapted Screenplay. Denzel won the best Actor in '01 for Training Day, which was just a payback win for previous years. Russell won after this for Gladiator, which was also a payback win.

127 Hours (2010)

This is a great film. Part of me wanted to see it just to check out how Danny Boyle would structure a film that is essentially one long shot of a guy pinned in a narrow fissure by a rock. Well, Mr. Boyle has more imagination than I do. First, he starts in the early hours of that Saturday with Aron Ralston (James Franco) leaving his apartment and driving to the desert. He bikes in to the area he wants to climb, meets some girls, gets diverted for a while. He does get back on task for his climb, and then he meets that f**king rock.

The movie is only 94 minutes, and it moves quickly. Aron has a pack of equipment, but not what he needs. He mainly needs a lot more water, and food. He could use a good knife, but he has a crappy freebie knife in his pack. He could use "eight burly" men to help pull the rock free. He has a camera and a video camera, so he tapes himself. He hallucinates, and he remembers events that lead him to conclude he has regrets. (The main regret would be not telling anyone where he was going.) He eventually determines that his whole life to date has been moving toward this meeting with the rock.

This is a great movie. So far this year, other than Harry Potter, I think Winter's Bone and 127 Hours are the best films I've seen. I think this should get an Academy nod for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Editing and Cinematography.

Solitary Man (2009)

Crap - I thought this was a film from 2010, but I mis-remembered. I didn't check. I'm not sure I would have watched if I'd realized, but I'm glad I did. This is well done, with great acting. Michael Douglas plays a guy who has literally thrown away his whole life - business and personal - for a ridiculous reason. If you want to watch the effects of really bad decisions, this one is a heat-seeking missile directed at you. It is unflinching and sometimes embarrassing to watch, and there is no real ending. The film ends, but there is not a wrap-up type of ending. That's cool. The cast is great; all the women are interesting characters, and Jesse Eisenberg turns in a good performance.

Love and Other Drugs (2010)

Ed Zwick directed this and shared the writing credit. In my view, the problems with this movie are his problems, as I think of him as a schlocky emotional director who makes over the top, almost romanticized films. A few examples that may help make my point: Blood Diamond, Courage Under Fire, Legends of the Fall. Each of these movies has good aspects - usually good acting, but to me they beat you over the head with their point, whether it is a tragedy or an issue. I don't enjoy that.

This time it's a romantic comedy between Jake G and Anne Hathaway, with a serious disease as a second plot. I wouldn't call it a sub-plot; it's very much part of almost every scene. There is a millionaire slacker (disgusting slob, Apatow-style) brother thrown in for comic relief. The brother's dialog is either stupid funny or enlightening, depending on the moment. Most of the dialog is just precious - very scripted clever and well delivered. There is tons of nudity, much of it gorgeous. I could look at Jake G all day, but I want less disease crap to go with the scenery. The ending is ridiculous - the typical grand gesture. I was hoping for a better movie. There are laughs here, but save it for a rental.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

There are so many great surprises in this movie. First, how did those little kids picked so long ago turn out to be really great actors? Was it luck? Because these kids are awesome. In particular, Hermione has a very expressive face. I read nervousness, fear, anger, surprise, desolation and desperation - often mixed - quite easily, running across her face as this movie unfolded.

It will be hard for these kids to move past these roles, but what a curse!

I loved the kids out in the world - away from Hogwart's. (I know they are NOT kids any more, but they'll always be kids as long as the DVDs are at home.) It took the series to a new level, and that world was nicely realized by the art department and director. The pacing is fantastic. There is so much going on with the story, but the director made sure to keep the quiet when necessary. In this movie it is very important for the trio to have crises of friendship, of self confidence; to doubt what they are doing is right or just stupid. That takes stillness rather than action. And there's plenty of action.

And the supporting cast continues to be fantastic. Bellatrix is a nut-job, Draco is so conflicted! Voldemort is the creepiest thing alive. I want to see more Luna and Neville, but it will happen. I can hardly wait for the next one - but it will be the last! Shit.

As You LIke It (2006)

This production seems a bit odd to me, but I have never been super in touch with Shakespeare. The two dukes and their kids are set down in Japan, rather than in France. As we are in Japan, this version includes sumo wrestlers. The lion is there in Japan, too. The final wedding scene is in kimonos.

The acting is really great - particularly Bryce Dallas Howard as Rosalind, and the guys who play Oliver and Orlando, Adrian Lester and David Oyelowo, respectively. (I fell in love with Orlando a bit.) There is some unusual casting, tho. Alfred Molina and Kevin Kline seemed wasted. There is also a big dance number at the end, with singing, that I found ridiculous.

I would pass on this one unless a serious fan of Shakespeare.

Divorce Italian Style (1961)

I found this to be one of the most unattractive films (that sits in the comedy category) - in terms of humanity - I have ever seen. Let's see - a married 37 year member of the Italian aristocracy falls in love with his 16 year old cousin. He cannot get a divorce, so he needs to kill his wife, which means he needs a good excuse. He determines infidelity on her part would be best; he's a "don" so he won't do as much time for murder as a member of the working class. He gets going with hooking her up, so she can be unfaithful and he can kill her and marry the first cousin.

Yep, it's a lovely story. On top of that, all the older women have mustaches and uni-brows. If that's a cheap laugh, it was lost on me. Marcello Mastroianni stars as the endearing husband.

If you want to watch people treat each other badly, there are many films in the drama category (Schindler's List, Hotel Rwanda) that will make you consider becoming a shut-in. But this is supposed to be a comedy. Not cool.

Tales of the City (1993)

For those of you who like mini-series, this one is really good. It is based on a book by Armistead Maupin, and is set in 1976 San Francisco. These were the days of drugs and free love, but AIDS hadn't shown up yet. Gay men are everywhere, and lesbians are around too, and then there are straight people. It's really hard to tell who will sleep with whom. The story is centered by Mary Ann, played by a very young Laura Linney. Mary Ann is fresh from Cleveland and pretty conservative, but she loves San Francisco. She moves in to a bohemian apartment complex on a hill run by Mrs. Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis). Through Laura, we are introduced to a large circle of people at the apartment, at her job, the relatives of her friends and co-workers. It's a small world, and it is very interesting. People have incredible secrets (except for Mary Ann) and the way they are intertwined is really great.

Also - Thomas Gibson (from Dharma and Greg) plays a real piece of shit in this one. It's fun to hate him.

Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)

I found this boring and stupid. It's a vampire farce, which is ok, but the boring part really was a problem. Roman Polanski directed this and shared a writing credit. He also acted in it, so you can see his acting chops. I was not impressed. The most notable item was Sharon Tate - this is where Roman met Sharon, who was later killed by the Manson family.

The running joke in this film seems to be woman taking baths - woman with huge zambas takes baths. It wasn't that funny.

The Killer (1989) by John Woo

I am just going to have to accept that John Woo is not my guy. So that makes two directors on my shit list this week. The Killer apparently made John Woo a star internationally, but I was bored. I stopped reading my magazine during the zany shoot-em-up scenes (I believe 150,000 people are movie-killed in the The Killer), but was bored the rest of the time. The dialog sucks, the plot is ridiculous, the villain is stupid. But those are not the things you watch this movie for, to be fair. Chow Yun-Fat looks awesome in his white suits and in his black suits! He looks kinda cute in a fake mustache. He's just hot.

The action scenes are pure Hong Kong, and that's a lot of fun. I am not a fan of white doves and candles though, so I gagged a bit every time Woo had an operatic white doves in a church scene. There were at least two.

Also, this movie is totally gay. I think there is supposed to be a thing going on with CYF and this singer, but the tension only exists between CYF and the cop trying to catch him. When the cop was telling Chow that he had to arrest him, had to stop him, I found myself adding dialog: But I really want to KISS you instead - in a mystery science theater voice. It was pretty funny. I think they were in love. Just once it would be cool if the homoerotic tension were actually followed through - I would be so surprised! Until then, there is just violence and white suits.

Annie Hall (1977)

I never feel so stupid as when I watch a Woody Allen film. Annie Hall was a huge hit in 1977. It won the Best Picture Oscar. And I just don't get it. I don't think it's particular clever to speak to the camera, I get tired of all the women Woody Allen sleeps with (he appears to be that successful with ladies in real life, though, so it is NOT a stretch), and the constant Jewish jokes or references are old. I feel the same about the constant analyst references. Is it possible that Allen's films are so much a part of our culture that watching them is actually a non-event?

It's either that or I just don't like them. There's a scene in Annie Hall where somebody is putting Fellini down (is he called self-indulgent?), and I thought - Woody Allen is self-indulgent. Then I thought - Oh wait, am I supposed to feel that? If I have enough mental space to think circular thoughts in a film, I'm not into it.

I really liked Match Point though!

Franny and Alexander (1982)

Ingmar Bergman wrote and directed this one, and it's pretty fantastic. I like some of his other movies better, but I haven't even seen a fraction of his body of work yet. I need to get to it. I need to have a marathon.

This one took a bunch of awards, and it should have. It is beautifully filmed and impressively paced - the movie is three hours long, but time passes quickly in and out of the film. There are some very strong mystical or magical qualities. There were times when people appeared in scenes when they were in fact elsewhere; there were ghosts; there was one character who may or may not have been real, and who may have been a male or a female.

Fanny and Alexander live a wonderful life with their parents and grandmother until their father dies. Mom remarries a terrible man - she even knows he is terrible, but she appears to want the opposite of her old life? It is bizarre. The children have to escape, and they do physically, thanks to their grandmother's lover. But that does not mean that everything ends well.

I believe at its heart this is a movie about family, and about how you never really leave your family behind you, no matter where life takes you.

The Descent (2005) and Neil Marshall

Neil Marshall is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine. He is a horror / action director with four feature length movies under his belt, and I enjoyed three of them. (I haven't seen the one released in '10, but it looks stupid. Of course, so do the other three, so I will probably check it out.)

These are not the kinds of movies you want to think too logically about. For example, in The Descent a group of friends (all female) descends into a cave that one member of the group asserts is virgin territory - never before explored. That cave happens to be inhabited by a mutant race of men that have evolved to live underground, rising to the surface only to get humans upon which to feed. This is classic stuff. The women do not always behave as a team, which is a nice treat, plus these gals kick ass. And the ending kicks ass.

If you like this one, try Dog Soldiers (2002) - werewolves!; and Doomsday (2008) - Bob Hoskins is in this one. It's largely a Road Warrier ripoff, but Rhona Mitra is the heroine, and she kicks some ass too!

Carrie (1976) and The Thing (1982)

I just watched these two for the first time in about 20 years, and I really enjoyed them. Carrie isn't really scary, but it's cool. It also seems oddly topical. Carrie is abused and tormented by her peers, and when she realizes her abilities, they really get what's coming to them. Unfortunately, so does everyone else in town. If you've ever been bullied, or just wished you could get even, this movie might help. Of course, it ends horribly, but it is a horror flick.

The Thing is a lot like Alien, but it's different enough to make things interesting. The guys are isolated at the Antarctic whatever station and have had no radio contact for two weeks. A storm rolls in about the same time a Norwegian in a helicopter flies in to camp following a dog and begins shooting up the place. Things go downhill from there. If you have seen the original, please be aware that they have little in common. They both have a station in the Antarctic and a monster, but that's it. I like the John Carpenter remake better.

Silent Light (2007)

I haven't disliked a movie this much in a while. It's about a man in a Mennonite community in Mexico (the group is German, so both German and Spanish is spoken) who has six or seven kids and apparently loves his wife. He is also cheating on her with another woman in the community. I have no idea how this got in my queue. If I figure out who recommended it, I'm going to put a Tod Solondz movie in their queue.

The pace is not slow - oh no. It is glacial. The scenery is beautiful, but the camera-work is insane. The camera will sit on an innocuous object, such as a car side-view mirror, for a freakish amount of time. I wasn't seeing much in the way of symbolism; it was just boring, and sometimes unnerving.

The ending was heading to a cool place when the director, Carlos Reygadas, threw in a twist that I did not understand. I mean - I didn't understand what happened to the characters. It made very little sense logically or stylistically.

Hereafter (2010)

I loved this movie. I cannot believe what Clint Eastwood is doing in his 80's. Now, I think Eastwood is a great director, so I want to be impartial. I loved Invictus, and a lot of people thought it was slow / boring. Well, this movie is not an action film. Most of it is talk, and it is about death; specifically how death has affected the lives of three people. The first is a man in San Francisco, the second a child in London, the third a woman in France.

This movie is very sad, but I also found it incredibly hopeful. Hopeful is the word that keeps coming to my mind, along with startling and romantic (oddly enough). Add that to the pacing and cinematography I expect from an Eastwood film, and I give this an enthusiastic recommendation. I don't think I have ever seen a movie like this, and since most film making is derivative, that's saying something.

Leaves of Grass (2009)

Please don't bother with this one. It has great actors (Ed Norton and Melanie Lynskey, Keri Russell - she's getting better all the time), but they are totally wasted in this stupid story written and directed by Tim Blake Nelson. The fault lies with him.

I suppose this is supposed to be a farce, or maybe a farce of a grand tragedy, about twin brothers (Ed Norton) who have taken different paths in life. One is an ivy league professor, the other is a genius pot grower with a simple view of what is important. It doesn't work. The paragraphs of dialog from the philosophers, and Walt Whitman poems, etc., do not mix well with the cross-bow shooting rednecks or the Jewish drug kingpin. Just pass.

The Town (2010)

Mom and I went to this tonight - what a great movie!! I cannot believe how reliable Ben Affleck is becoming. He co-wrote and directed this; his acting was fine, but much more impressive was the directing. After Gone Baby Gone and The Town, I will be rushing to see the next film he directs.

This is a story about bank robbers and criminals in Charlestown, Mass. Apparently more bank robbers are from Charlestown than any other town in the U.S. It's a family profession there. This is one of those movies where you want at least some of the criminals to come out ahead, and there are enough moving parts to keep you guessing until the end. I think there's a possibility this could get nominated for original screenplay.

That Evening Sun (2009)

This movie is one huge downer - but it's really well done. It's one of those films that's just got a really crappy story - a life story, that's no fun to watch. The acting is great, the characters are well done, but it just sucks.

Hal Holbrook plays an old, surly farmer whose son has put him in a old-folks home. When he leaves and returns to his farm, he finds that his son has leased it to a man he detests. His son has no interest in his dad's wishes, as he was a little weasel-y kid now grown into a weasel-y lawyer. His son then tells the police that his dad is crazy, so dad has no recourse. The man leasing his farm is bad news, the son is a shit, and the old man is not easy to like. This is not a movie with easy answers. If you like an interesting story and well-drawn characters and a good movie, watch this one. If you need a story that is resolved or happy or a pretty view of the world, don't watch.

RED (2010)

This movie was super fun. Unfortunately it was also an absolute mess. This could have been a clever film with much pleasure derived from great performances and actors who can poke fun at themselves. But the movie has a split personality, flipping between cartoonish action and taking itself far too seriously. This is not a serious film. The director should have corrected all that serious crap in the editing room, but he didn't.

Anyway - this is still a lot of fun - particularly Mary-Louise Parker and John Malkovich. I would recommend waiting until it is on DVD and catching it then. You will be able to not pay attention in the really stupid parts, flip through a magazine while watching, etc.

All About Eve (1950)

This is a great Bette Davis vehicle with non-stop famous dialog. The entire cast is great, and it even has an early Marilyn appearance. Bette plays Margo Channing, an extremely famous 40-year old theater diva. Her circle of friends is infiltrated by one of the most conniving, back-stabbing, evil characters ever written - Eve Harrington, played by Anne Baxter.

If you ever start to feel that a friend is not really a friend, but worry that you're just succumbing to paranoia, watch this film. It may confirm that you have a big problem on your hands.

The Social Network (2010)

This is currently the movie to beat for Best Picture. Keep in mind that when a picture takes an early Best Pic lead, its existence is often a taunting middle finger for other films to up their advertising, talk show presence, print ads - you name it. Think Shakespeare in Love beating Elizabeth. Think back to just last year with Hurt Locker beating Avatar (truly a horrible film).

The difference here may be that Social Network is a great film. It will be tough to usurp. The acting is amazing, the dialog is witty and sharp and fantastically delivered. And then there's the story - this story is fascinating, and it's true, and it's recent. I remember the first time I was "facebooked" - it wasn't that long ago. I have friends who play that farm game non-stop. To see how it all happened, and to see what caused Mark Zuckerberg to take to his computer one night in a fit of pique and hurt and (plain old) sour grapes is pretty amazing. And then you get to watch the rest of his behavior.

I went with my mom - it's award season - and we had an interesting conversation about Zuckerberg's personality. She felt it didn't portray him too badly, as he didn't come across as some evil genius, but as someone so socially retarded he was to be pitied. In my opinion, most people would rather be the billionaire evil genius than the billionaire who cannot hold a conversation, who cannot recognize his true friends, who cannot tell when he's being played. Pity is a very unflattering emotion.

I think Jesse Eisenberg should get a best actor nomination. I also predict this film might give us two best supporting actor nominations: Andrew Garfield (as Eduardo Saverin) and Justin Timberlake (as Sean Parker, the founder of Napster). I think it will get a nomination for adapted screenplay.

Music - two people mentioned the music to me (one my mother - she didn't always like it). Trent Reznor did the music here, and he did an amazing job. It increases the tension, makes you laugh - this is what a soundtrack should be. I think the music will get nominated.

I recommend you do not wait for this one to hit DVD - take yourself to the theater.

Mona LIsa (1986)

This movie stars Bob Hoskins. There are great performances by Cathy Tyson, Michael Caine and Robbie Coltrane, but it's Bob Hoskins' movie. He plays a low level mob employee recently released from prison. The only job for him (based on his connections with the mob) is a driver for a high-end prostitute. They become close. They don't have sex or anything, but there is affection. In lesser hands, this would be a stupid role - really, falling for a prostitute?

Bob Hoskins plays tough like nobody else (see Long Good Friday), but what makes him special is when he combines that tough with a bizarre tender, an uncanny childishness. He is really amazing in this role.

Also interesting is Neil Jordan, the director. This movie is about somebody who isn't what she appears. He has the same theme in Crying Game and Ondine, and who knows how many other movies?

Welcome (2009)

This is a very interesting movie. There is so much about immigration in the news today - not just in the U.S. but all over the E.U. as well, that you may find this thought provoking. There is one country lately I have been noticing in the news more than others - France - which I find interesting. I have heard from more than a few people that France is a utopia, with great education systems, retirement, hospital services, la la la. When I say that good usually comes with bad, I am often scoffed at as an accountant who knows nothing about social systems. Well, anyway, that's probably true. If interested, read about the pros and cons of the French social systems for yourself, and maybe educate yourself with a movie or two as well.

One such movie is Welcome. It is set near the English Channel in France. The area has a large underground and unwanted immigrate population - primarily looking for handlers and other ways to get to England and the good life / jobs, etc. They eat at soup kitchens and sleep in the brush, or anyplace else they can find. The local supermarkets try to bar them from entering as the illegals offend the customers. One person asks if French men and women have forgotten their history - what happens when people are barred from stores and buying themselves food and necessities?

Into this situation Bilal arrives. He fled Iraq and has spent the last three months walking, riding under trains, riding under trucks to arrive at the Channel. He wants to get to England to see his girlfriend and maybe play for Manchester United. He is 17, and very innocent, but very determined. He cannot get smuggled in a truck to England, because he has a problem keeping a plastic bag over his head for the duration. He decides to swim the channel, and stops at a local pool to learn how to swim. At the pool, innocence meets disinterested weariness and cynicism in the form of Simon, a former champion swimmer. Simon helps Bilal for his own reasons, and this leads him to trouble in the form of the immigration police, and neighbors who would love to turn him in to those police for helping an immigrant.

In classic movie form, Simon comes back to life, and that comes with a price. Does anything work out for Bilal? For Simon? You should watch and find out.

The Cowboys (1972)

This is a John Wayne flick filmed in the same time period as True Grit (1969). It has the same techno colors and somewhat sanitized countryside and sets. The similarity ends there, though. This is a movie that relies on boys and Roscoe Lee Browne for a novelty factor. (John Wayne's crew for the cattle drive all took off for a gold rush and he is forced to hire schoolboys.) Individually, all are fine - Mr. Browne gets to use his impressive voice to good effect, for example. But the movie is cute and predictable at best. At worst, the dialog is pathetic and the use of the children is unsettling. They are first viewed as cute, immature children, but by the end of the movie they are killers looking for vengeance. The transition is poorly done and not believable due to the sad, laughable quality of the villains and a lack of urgency in the plot.

I would not recommend this movie ever.

If you want a John Wayne film that is good, watch True Grit or The Shootist for an example of his later work, or Stagecoach - an old John Ford film. For non- John Wayne try Pale Rider, Once Upon A Time in the West, The Wild Bunch or The Magnificent Seven.

Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962)

I need to revise my list of greatest sports films. This one probably goes to the top. Anthony Quinn plays Mountain Rivera, a boxer who has finally had one fight too many. When he almost loses his eye, the boxing commission's doctor says he cannot fight any more.

After 17 years fighting, Mountain has to get a job outside of boxing. Needless to say, he has no skills. This guy will take any work: movie usher, dishwasher, you name it. Into the mix we throw Mickey Rooney as the cutman, who really has Mountain's interest at heart, and Jackie Gleason as Mountain's manager. Jackie cares about Mountain, but he's in trouble with his bookie. He needs cash.

The acting is tops. The film-making is tops. We meet Rivera during that last fight. He is getting the shit beat of him by Cassius Clay - the real thing. The first time we see Rivera's face is when he sees himself in a locker room mirror - after being carried there. It's a great opening scene. Mickey Rooney and Jackie are first class, as per usual. There is a scene with the two of them playing cards that is fantastic. It's a black and white film, the sets are seedy hotel rooms and locker rooms, gyms. It's a great take on the sport of boxing. Here's a sample of some dialog:

Mickey Rooney: After 17 years he's lucky to have his brain (scoffing). It's a great sport.
Jackie Gleason: Sport? are you kidding? If there was head room they'd hold these things in sewers.

Watch this and then watch Facing Ali. Would you want your kid to box?

Winter's Bone (2010)

Well, I saw an amazing movie yesterday. Winter's Bone should be getting some Oscar nominations (adapted screenplay, Best Actress and Supporting Actor). Other than technical awards, I think it is the first Oscar film of the season. It may get a best picture and director nod as well, especially since ten pictures are now in the best picture category.

So Jennifer Lawrence plays Ree, a 17 year old (high school drop-out, it appears), who takes care of her much younger brother and sister. Mom is in a catatonic state, and dad cooks meth. I think the household keeps working as long as dad is cooking / working, but he has gone AWOL. That's bad enough (no food or money for food), but it turns out dad put up the house as his bond. If Ree doesn't find him, she and the kids and mom will be out in the woods. So she turns to the network of relatives / meth cookers in her circle for help - and they are not welcoming.

I was sure that these were not actors in the film. Remember the kid on the porch with the banjo in Deliverance? Was he an actor? They all looked and sounded and felt so much like hillbillies that I was almost wondering if it was a documentary. Anyway, Jennifer Lawrence is an actress, and a fantastic one. John Hawkes plays the uncle, he's a familiar face. The rest of the cast was also fantastic.

This was an amazing directing job. I believed everything in the film - the mood, lighting and pace - were perfect.