Let Me In (2010)

OK - I liked the original better, but this is a VERY good remake. What a pleasant surprise! (The original is Let the Right One In from Sweden in 2008.)

This is a vampire film. If you like vampire flicks or revenge flicks, put this one in your queue. It stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as the bullied kid, Chloe Moretz as the forever 12 year-old vampire and Richard Jenkins as her pseudo guardian. One of my favorite characters in both films is the guardian. Pay attention to him. Richard Jenkins plays him more as his own person, and I love Richard Jenkins. I liked the original character better, because it's more chilling. Either way it's an unpleasant look into the future.

When we first meet Owen (Kodi), he is acting like a would-be serial killer. Eventually we see where he learned that behavior, and how the person bullying Owen learned his behavior. It's very disturbing. There's a lot here; I recommend it.

Both films are moodier than some of the people I work with - it's awesome.

Never Let Me Go (2010)

Well, this is a downer film based on a (presumably downer) book by Kazuo Ishiguro. The book was short listed for the Booker prize, so I'm sure it's fantastic (Ishiguro also wrote Remains of the Day - he knows what he's doing).

The story revolves around three children at what appears to be a boarding school. In fact, they are clones being raised to donate their organs until they die. They are brainwashed: their purpose is to "donate" to "originals" until they "complete" - or die.

The three form a young love triangle / friendship, eventually splitting up at about 19. Two become donors (Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield), and the third becomes a "carer" (Carey Mulligan). This appears to be a hospice worker-type position, which is how she eventually stumbles across her childhood friends.

I don't know what the book makes you feel - that human life is not to be thrown away? That genetically altered people are still human? I'm not sure the point on this one - these kids run the gamut from tortured to resigned about their non-person status. I should read the book, but I don't want to!

Another problem for me is the world created for alternate-earth scenario movies. Often I feel it is very staged. Did you ever see the Handmaid's Tale? The movie just didn't look right, like a period piece without a period. On the other hand, I thought Pleasantville nailed it - what a gorgeous film.

The acting here is great - even Keira Knightley is ok - but I will not be recommending this to anyone.

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop (2009)

This is a remake of the Coen brothers "Blood Simple". It's not very good, but it's pretty to watch. The colors and cinematography are gorgeous, so it's somewhat like a live action cartoon with murder.

The director is Yimou Zhang, and my recommendation is two-fold. First, watch Blood Simple. It's fantastic noir and I never tire of it. Second, watch some of Yimou's early work, like The Story of Qiu Ju or Raise the Red Lantern. He has made great films, but Noodle Shop isn't one of them. I suspect he was slumming with this one, just out for a lark, like Steven S. did with the Ocean's Eleven series. Steven S. made slick, cool films with tons of character while taking a break from his "serious" work. Yimou dropped the ball with this one.

Conviction (2010)

This is a good movie, but not a great movie. It reminds me a lot of Blind Side, but it is not as magnetic. Perhaps because it has very little humor? It is a very sad story, and a true story, about a guy (Sam Rockwell) accused and convicted of murdering a woman. He was unjustly convicted, but the only person who believes that is his sister (Hilary Swank). She goes to college, then to law school, then passes the bar, and eventually frees her brother. This takes almost 20 years.

The acting is good here, but a bit too trite, and it never rises to inspired. The structure of the film is a bit dull. There is a lot of story to tell, but it still needed a bit more editing. Biggest plus for me: the director (Tony Goldwyn) didn't always go for the easy tears, which I appreciate.

The story about the unjust conviction is just disgusting. This is decent rental - far better than Hot Tub Time Machine. Stick it in your queue.

Fingersmith (2005)

This is wicked fun!! My friend P has been recommending if for a year, probably, but I could not get it through Blockbuster. It's a "very long wait". So P got it through her account at Netflix and brought it over today. Holy crap! I love this film!

You want to see double crosses and secrets and betrayals? Perhaps combined with a few more plot twists? This is the show for it. It is a British mini-series in two episodes, each at two hours. This allows time for plot and character development that is usually crammed into a two hour movie. There are two women in England in the 1800's, one a rich young lady kept imprisoned by her uncle, the other a thief. They meet, but who is good? Who is bad? What is really going on the uncle's house?

I knew I was in good shape when Imelda Staunton and Sally Hawkins were in the film, based on a book by Sarah Waters. The next book on my queue, highly recommended, is a book by Sarah Waters. I am super-psyched to start it now.

Buried (2010)

OK - This movie is fine. It is way better than I expected. There are times when it is smart to have low expectations.

Major problem: the reason we watch Ryan Reynolds is for his body. In this movie he is trapped in a coffin - no body viewing.

Great villain: I like the role of the military industrial complex as the villain in films these days. It is much more refreshing than Arabs or Eurotrash or human traffickers. They are a generic, amorphous blob to despise.

Added bonus: Ryan keeps trying to call people. He gets stupid operators, mean operators and bad hold music. I can sympathize. I have never been trapped in a coffin and I find that shit frustrating.

Nevertheless, this is not a great movie. The villains are way too poorly drawn, the phone conversations are a bit silly. His call to his mother is trite. Reynolds does well, the ending is good, so pick this one up. But also pick us these two:

1. 127 Hours (2010) - this is a movie about being trapped that passes the time with fantastic story and editing. The performance by James Franco beats out Reynolds easily.

2. The Vanishing (1998) - the original film from the Netherlands - not the American remake. This movie is insane. I consider it one of the scariest films of all time - in a disturbing way.

La Double Vie de Veronique (1991)

This is a big deal film and it really pisses me off each time I see it. There are two women, young singers, both named Veronique. One lives in Poland, one in France. They are not twins, they are basically the same person. Each is somewhat aware of the other Veronique's presence, but only as a concept, a feeling.

The Veronique in Poland dies, which changes the life of her parallel in France. She eventually becomes involved with a man who senses her double existence. The film is supposed to be about fate and free will, but I just get frustrated. What is really going on? Does the Veronique in Paris really love this guy, or will she be tortured by her him and her absent half? How did they come to be? Are we all supposed to have someone like this? I don't think that's the point. I like the film. I probably need to watch it about 43 more times.

This won major awards in Cannes when it came out. The actress who plays both Veronique characters is Irene Jacob, and she is great. The two halves seem very different, yet the same person. This was written and directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski. He also did the three films, Red, White and Blue. He's a talented guy.

Animal Kingdom (2010)

This is one of those movies that makes you want to never leave the house, because apparently the family down the street could be a band of murdering thieves. The movie feels so damn real that you may start looking at friends and co-workers with suspicion.

J (short for Josh) is sitting with his mom when she OD's on heroin. Under 18, with nowhere to go, he calls his maternal grandma, also the mother of four boys - his uncles. Grandma Smurf, as she is called, adores her boys. The fact that they are thieves, drug dealers and murderers doesn't bother her at all. Grandma Smurf likes to kiss them hello on the lips - a nice lingering kiss. She lives for her boys. The police in Melbourne at this time (or in this movie) are as wild as the criminals, killing unarmed suspects in parking lots or grocery stores. Not much separates them from each other.

J moves in with this crowd because of a monumental absence of options, and he's really in trouble. So is his girlfriend, and the girlfriend's family. It's just one big snowball. Grandma Smurf didn't care too much about losing her daughter, but when she loses two boys in rapid succession to police shootings and the last two are in jail, she shows how evil she is. We're not talking Yoda with a sword; this is really nasty. Jackie Weaver got a Best Supporting Actress nod for this portrayal, and she's very impressive.

This wasn't as harrowing or as well done as Biutiful, but it gave me chills.