December Screenings - 1st Week Only

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Theatrical Cut) - ***1/2

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Theatrical Cut) - ****

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Theatrical Cut) - ***1/2

The Godfather - **** My only screening of this film had been back in college on a 13-inch TV when USA ran the 1st two in the series. Sad, yes. After seeing this in a more "theatrical" environment on a much, much bigger screen, I highly enjoyed this film. I'm anxiously awaiting a screening of the "restored" version soon.

The Godfather Part II - *** (I've always argued how this film is better than the 1st one, but I've changed my mind.)

The Godfather Part III - **1/2 (Sophia Coppola didn't ruin this film as much as I remembered from my first screening upon the film's release. Yes, she's not a good actress and thankfully has maybe 10 minutes of screen time. If she were a great actress she may not have taken up directing and the world probably wouldn't have "Lost in Translation" - so suck it. When you watch the trilogy back to back to back, it holds up ok, but it's nowhere near as good as the 1st one.)

November Screenings

The Incredible Hulk - *** (As good as Iron Man... This reaction may be based on the fact that I didn't see Iron Man until this month after hearing from everyone that it was great and hearing that 'Hulk' wasn't good. Pishaw.)

Tank Girl - *** (I *loved* this film upon its initial release but it has lost some of its zeal. Why why why didn't Lori Petty become more famous. Love Her.)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - **1/2 (It's not my generation's Star Wars anymore... *sigh* Oh, well. If this is what the kids want/like, I'll sit quietly and make try to make peace with Lucas on my deathbed.)

Get Smart - *** God I love it when someone so attractive makes me laugh so hard… and Anne Hathaway’s pretty good too.

Sunshine - *** (1st 2 acts are great, falls apart in the 3rd, but still enjoyable and shows the great range of Danny Boyle as a director.)

The Philadelphia Story - ****

Bringing Up Baby -****

The Sound of Music - ****

From Hell – Heather Graham isn’t as bad as I remember so I liked it more this time than I probably have in the past. Fantastic production design.

Pennies from Heaven - ***1/2 I haven't seen this since the early 90’s and after seeing it on a big screen, it’s the “Moulin Rouge” of its day. Truly a unique film and one which must fall under the “love it or hate it” category. I love it.

Dr. Zhivago - ****

Funny Girl - ***1/2 Man do I love me some "early" Streisand.

The Way We Were *** - A solid film from director Sydney Pollack and holds up well since I screened it in college.

Hello Dolly - **1/2 I liked it when I was discovering “Babs” in college, but see it was wrong to cast her in this. She shows up only to sing. Walter Matthaeu (too lazy to look up spelling) is still great. Michael Crawford is so over the top and I’ve always thought so and it’s still ridiculous.

X-Men - *** Hugh Jackman is forever Wolverine.

X2: Evolution - ***1/2 One of the few examples where the sequel is better than the 1st.

X3: The Last Stand - **1/2 So disappointing… this trilogy rates the same for me as the 1st Star Wars trilogy (i.e. 2, 1, 3).

Fame - **
I probably would have liked this had I seen it as a kid, but as an adult, it was just dumb.

October Screenings

Soldier's Girl - ***

I Think I Do - ***

Camp - **1/2

The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green - **1/2

Milwaukee, Minnesota - **1/2

Gone Baby Gone - ***

Iron Man - ***

The Incredible Hulk - ***
As good as Iron Man... This reaction may be based on the fact that I didn't see Iron Man until this month after hearing from everyone that it was great and hearing that 'Hulk' wasn't good. Pishaw.

Superman: Doomsday - **1/2
I enjoyed this too, but I never read the comic so I really have no basis of judgment other than it seems as good as the other WB animation shows, none of which I followed too closely.

Batman: Gotham Knight - ***
If you're into animation, check this out. It's kinda like the Animatrix films, but better.

Tank Girl - ***
I *loved* this film upon its initial release but it has lost some of its zeal. Why why why didn't Lori Petty become more famous. Love Her.

House of D - **1/2

Speed Racer - ***
I liked this *a lot*! Maybe my standards were so low because everything I read/heard said it sucked. It’s all eye candy and needs to be seen on a big-screen but it’s fun and really uniquely visual. Too bad WB lost so much money on it.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall - *** Kristin Bell had the impossible job of playing a bitch who we had to actually care for and she did an amazing job. A very well-layered film both in performances and script but not quite as funny as people have led me to believe—it’s no “40 year-old virgin”. Paul Rudd still steals every movie he’s in and when two men are allowed to marry, I will propose to him.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - ***
Yes, I liked it. It's good. Stop complaining. I don’t care what people say. Yes, it’s not as good story as “Raiders” but it’s still an “Indy” film. Solidly made and Shia LaBouf is great as well as Kate Blanchett.

Southland Tales - **1/2 If you thought Donnie Darko was odd… I still can’t explain this and it’s one of those you have to see for yourself. It’s not bad, just weird and very non-linear. It might have started out fine then somebody lost a few pages of the script and nobody bothered to look for them…

September Screenings

Latter Days - **1/2
But I'm A Cheerleader - ***
The Ritz - **1/2

August Screenings

A League of Their Own - ***1/2

Zoolander - **1/2

Pure Country - **1/2

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie - **1/2

The Dark Knight - ****

The TV Set - ***

Boy Culture - **

Trick - **1/2

Eight Legged Freaks - **1/2

The Bank Job - ***

The Lookout - ***

The Savages - ***

American Graffiti - ***

1776 - **

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - **

The Hoax - ***

No Reservations - **1/2

The Golden Compass - **1/2

Reefer Madness (2004) - **1/2

Planet Terror - ***

Death Proof - **1/2

Torch Song Trilogy - ***

Jeffrey - ***

July Screenings

Cry-Baby (1990) - ***

Hairspray (1988) - ***

Go - ***

Groove - **1/2

Rumor Has It - **

Men In Black II - **

Box of Moonlight - ***

Spider-Man 2 - ***1/2

Superman Returns - *** (This was a second screening, about a year after my initial viewing and even though the plot still sucked, the execution shows promise how this franchise could have been reborn)

The Broken Hearts Club - ***

The Chumscrubber - *** (Very unusual film with a distinct style - Highly recommend)

Pink Flamingo's - **1/2

Female Trouble - **

Bernard and Doris - **1/2

The Kite Runner - **1/2

The Horse Whisperer - **

The Darjeeling Limited - *** (Restored my faith in Wes Anderson - be sure to watch the short film "Hotel Chevalier" which preceeds the action in 'Darjeelin' - an always fantastic Natalie Portman does a great job)

In Bruges - ***1/2

Eagle Vs. Shark - **1/2

All Over the Guy - ***

Get Real - **1/2

Sleepless in Seattle - (There aren't enough stars in the sky to rate this film.)

16 Candles - **** (Still frakkin' awesome!)

Weird Science - ***1/2 (see above)

Shortbus - ****

Mom, please feel free to avoid this movie and never refer to it in my presence. That said, the hypocracy begins below.

The opening 5 minutes of this film is sexually graphic. Not flashy fake movie sex, but full on body fluid graphic. However, this is a film. Not a "porno movie," but a fantastic independently produced work of art film. I was incredibly surprised to find this completely engaging with an intelligent script and the best acting I've seen in any film in a long, long time. And remember, this is a cast of unknowns. And they're all having real sex. Straight sex, gay sex, freaky sex... sex.

I challenge you to categorize this film.

It's a little bit "Rent", a little bit "Dazed and Confused", a little bit "As Good As It Gets", and a little bit 'porn' (pardon the pun, but insert favorite title here. My current favorite is "The Da Vinci Load").

Writer/Director John Cameron Mitchell (co-creator and writer/director of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch") has crafted a different kind of film here, not only in it's presentation, but with it's conception (really, I'll try not to add too many puns here...). This film was cast first so everyone knew what they would be getting into (tee-hee) and then allowed to create their own characters and backstory. Once worked out, the actors participated in workshops to construct scenes and situations while making up their dialogue. J.C.M then used those workshops to write a script which would then be used to raise financing for the production.

Again, I can't recommend this film without emphasizing how graphic some scenes are. I averted my eyes more than once. There is an orgy scene or two and it's not blurred, cleverly concealed a la Austin Powers or "black boxed" out. However, the genius of scenes like this isn't to shock or excite you, but use that situation to progress the story. What would you do if you were invited to a place or private club, not really knowing what to expect, but certainly not expecting a room full of people having sex? This isn't "American Graffiti."

It won't be everybody's cup-o-tea to be sure, however, it certainly is suitable for intelligent adults looking to explore art in a new way. You can argue that any actual sex act depicted on film is pornographic but you can also argue that caffeine is a drug, yet millions of people (and a lot of kids) overindulge daily. Besides, it's not like the entire movie is nothing but sex, it's actually given very little screen time, but it's real and not pushed to the background when present.

I'm really surprised (or maybe missed?) how this film didn't raise a lot of controversy. Maybe it was dismissed as nothing more than just another porno. It's depressing to know so many people will miss out on such an emotional journey and exquisite work of art just because they may be embarrassed to see naked people. In this day and age, especially since the dawn of the internet, missing this film would be the real shame, not the sexual content.


**If you decide to screen the film on DVD, plan to keep it a few days as the special features are a must-see and the commentary is insightful, playful and very engaging.

The Lookout - ***

I saw half of this film but had to return the disc to the video store, then screened again a few months later. I remember liking it. Another great performance by Joseph Gorden-Levitt who will hopefully get recognized for his body of the during the past few years. He's not the little kid on "3rd Rock from the Sun" anymore. Also a great job by Matthew Goode (whom I had previously noticed and liked very much in "Match Point").

The Apple - ***1/2

It has to be seen to be believed... wow. Watch it with friends in whatever form of altered mental state you prefer. No ELO or Olivia Newton-John, or it would have been 4 stars.

The Spitfire Grill - **

I put off seeing this film for 10 years. No reason, just never got around to it. It looked good. I heard it was good. It was good... well the *performances* were good. Why didn't Alison Elliott's career soar after this film was released?

The highly dramatic material would be better suited for a high school play put on by a heavily depressed drama teacher and a cast of future man-hating women who will choose an alternate lifestyle somewhere down the road. "Steel Magnolias" and "Terms of Endearment" are much better examples of highly dramatic films showing strong independant women facing challenging situations. They at least know enough to insert some humor now and again to make it palpable. This film makes "The Green Mile" look like an Austin Powers film.

Also, from a marketing perspective, the poster makes this film look like a lesbian horror film called, "Are you there God, it's me Percy..." (yes the ax has something to do with the actual story, but why does the blade have to be at the same level as her neck?).

Fun Article

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/guest/altman061008.html

Somehow this guy got in my head and explains a passion so few of us had back in the early 90's. A fun read and a great website.

Mumford - ***

I know I watched this film a few years ago but didn't remember much about it except liking Jason Lee (in a role not written by Kevin Smith). It's one of those films that's an enjoyable viewing but then you forget you've seen it a few months later. Writer/Director Lawrence Kasdan does a good job assembling a cast that plays well off each other but nothing really exciting happens. When you reach the pivotol change in the story, which happens so nonchalantly, you have to stop and wonder, "wait, is this where the story is going?" It is, but it's a nice safe place, like going on a Sunday drive on a breezy June afternoon.

I Could Never Be Your Woman - **1/2

If I've learned anything over the past decade and a half from all the movies I've screened, it is this: Paul Rudd steals every movie he's in. I've probably only seen a dozen or so of his films, along with a few of his television appearances (remember he was Phoebe's boyfriend/husband on "Friends" -- oh yeah...), but you just can't ignore that much talent. I'm gushing about the boy because I first noticed him in writer/director Amy Heckerling's "Clueless" and they're reunited here in this straight to video mishmash of romantic comedy and Lifetime single mom movie of the week.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Saoirse Ronan both turn in believeable performances as a mother and daughter who don't always see eye to eye but have a mutual respect for each other, even when their maturity levels seem to trade places. Jon Lovitz has a minor role as Pfeiffer's ex-husband,which, really, puts this film in the realm of science fiction or at least asks us to suspend our disbelief enough to accept that maybe 15 years ago he was a catch. It's never mentioned, but given how this film deals with the television industry (i.e., "Hollywood") I couldn't help but think Pfeiffer's charcter married him to further her own career, and that didn't aid in my desire to like her character, let alone empathize with any of her drama.

One other issue I had with this film is why Pfeiffer, who's character is an executive on a teenage show a la "Saved by the Bell," would have cast Rudd's character as he was *clearly* older than any other person shown in the 'audition scene'. I have no problem with actor's in their 20's playing teens, it's been done forever, but if you're going to try and convince us that an actor in their late 30's looks like a teen, don't put them next to other actor's who look much more convincing as a teen. Ironically, Stacey Dash who plays the star of the fictional TV show was 40 years old when this film was made and looked as young as many of the teens on set. I just saw no reason for it to be a "teen show" when any standard sit-com setting would have suited the story just fine.

That said, the film is worth seeing just for Paul Rudd, whom I hope see's more leading man roles in the very near future. Maybe his lasting working relationship with writer/producer Judd Apatow (the two worked together on "The 40 Year-Old Virgin", "Knocked Up" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall") will produce something worthy of notice and garner him accolades he so richly deserves.

27 Dresses / Knocked Up / Beowulf

27 Dresses - ***

A bit too long, but when you're staring at Katherine Heigl for 2 hours, that's not always a bad thing, unless Judy Greer (a fav of mine since 1999's "Jawbreaker") is on screen as she always is a scene-stealer. James Marsden shows promise as a romantic comedy lead and is much more charming here than as Cyclops in the "X-Men" films. The chemistry isn't as great between Heigl and Marsden as it is between her and Seth Rogan, but that's another film (see below). Still, sparks are present and Heigl is clearly the front-runner as the next Julia/Meg/Reese (Amy Adams being her biggest competition, and she's got 2 Oscar nods, but Heigl's Emmy win last fall shows she's not backing down by any means). This film is my first exposure to Heigl as an actress and, had I not heard of her before, I would say she's "one to watch" but everyone's been watching her for years. I guess I should have stuck with "Rosewell" way back when and now I actually have a reason for watching "Grey's Anatomy." Dammit!


Knocked Up - ***

Yes, a Katherine Heigl double-feature day and yes, I hadn't seen this film until yesterday. How is that possible?! I don't know so let's just say I didn't get a chance to see it, then I wanted to wait until the hype died down. The film lives up to my expectations as I found it genuinely funny, touching and well-balanced in humor and drama in it's approach to the subject, much like director Judd Apatow's "The 40 Year Old Virgin." I think a lot of credit needs to go to Seth Rogan for this film finding the success it did, as well as to Paul Rudd who, from what I've seen so far, has never had a bad performance. I will definitely be adding more of his work to my Netflix queue.

I wasn't quickly won over with Heigl on this film, but that may have been a script issue and not with her performance. The story is dependent on the fact that she's a beautiful woman on the verge of becoming a breakout correspondent on the E! network. On the eve of a big promotion she celebrates with a little too much "spirit" and winds up in bed with someone whom she probably would never give a second look. I didn't get any insight into whether she really liked Ben (Seth Rogan) or was only after a one night stand to accent her promotion celebration. Given her reaction the following morning and the fact that she doesn't contact him until she finds out she's pregnant, I would believe the latter. However, her agreeing to breakfast would lead me to believe she was willing to give him a real shot, which he blows big time, but not by being a pompous jerk, but by being nervous version of himself. So does she agree to "give it a real shot" (i.e., give him a second chance) because she's having his baby, or because everyone deserves a second chance? I saw no indication that, had she not gotten pregnant, she never would have called him again. I'll need another screening to be sure.


Beowulf - **1/2

Visually impressive but I found the story to be lackluster at best. Crispen Glover is fantastic as Grendel, yet I felt as if this film was intending to border on campy adventure yet it never gets there. Imagine if Monty Python had done "Braveheart" then maybe you'll understand what I mean. Still, I'm a fan of the motion capture process and hope that it continue's to be a genre of movie making, but I do prefer live actor's in front of a blue/green screen as compared to motion capture as animation has yet to make people look anything but creepy. Although the character of Beowulf did look more real than the others. Maybe because he had no correlation to his live-action actor?

I, Robot / Interview With A Vampire / Man on the Moon / The Matrix: Revolutions / The Last Starfighter

I, Robot - ***

I found this film to be a visually exciting Will Smith vehicle in his traditional summer blockbuster/popcorn movie-esqe way. I know I screened this a few years ago but don't remember liking it this much. Similar in style to "Minority Report" in it's futuristic look, the film holds up well on for what it is, but is not as original as director Alex Proyas's "Dark City." He would be well suited for a comic adaptation.


Interview With The Vampire - ***
I always find myself going back and forth in regards to Tom Cruise's performance. I would have really liked to see him portray Lestat one more time, to see if he was on to something or completely missed the mark. Having never read any of the novels, I have nothing to base his performance on other than how it comes across on screen. Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst, however, always good in their respective roles as Louis and Claudia.


The Man on the Moon - **1/2
Jim Carrey's interpretation of Andy Kaufmann plays well on-screen, but my being unfamiliar with Kaufmann's work made this seem like a standard bio pic that leaves a lot of questions open, which apparently is how Kaufmann liked to leave his audience.


The Matrix: Revolutions - **
I love the "The Matrix." My admiration for "The Matrix: Reloaded" grows everytime I screen it. However, 'Revolutions' is always disappointing. Technically and visually impressive, the story falls flat it it's conclusion and by the end I just don't care what's happening in Zion and I just want to go back to the Matrix.


The Last Starfighter - ***
I hold a deep affection for this film as it was a favorite of mine as a young teen. The story is simple and to the point in it's "teen recruited by a video-game to save the universe" way. As high-concept as the plot may be (and arguibly similar to "Tron"minus the biblical pretense), I just find this film to be charming (but too soft-focused in several scenes). Yes, it's cheesy, corny, and campy when viewed by a "Matrix" audience, but it's charm still holds up. I could easily see this film becoming a TV series someday, a la "Battlestar Galactica."

Dan In Real Life / Enchanted / I Am Legend / Shoot 'Em Up / There Will Be Blood

DAN IN REAL LIFE - ***

I really enjoyed this film. I've been fan of Steve Carell's since I first saw him on "The Daily Show" back in 1999 or 2000 yet didn't have Comedy Central at the time so I only caught glimpses of his work, yet I always singled him out as terrific in "Bruce Almighty" and "Anchorman." These brief encounters with his career has robbed me of watching him bloom into a terrific 'Hollywood' actor which usually isn't the case considering how well I can spot talent long before they're A List actors (yes, Tom Hanks, I was a "Bosom Buddies" fan from day one at age 11 and Jim Carrey, I could not stop quoting you all through college after watching each Sunday's episode of "In Living Color" which I started watching because I recognized you from "The Duck Factory" years earlier when I was 13). Steve has so many great moments in this film. No words, no sweeping camera movements and no scrolling banner that said "Oscar.... Oscar.... Oscar...." -- you can see what he's thinking, something he does so well as Michael on "The Office." The scene where he performed "Let Me Love Open the Door" broke my heart. I cannot wait for him to be recognized as a genuine, real actor and not just a comedic performer.

The entire cast here is a joy to watch and the script and direction really make this 'Hollywood' film feel like an indie but without shouting it from the rooftops, "Look at us! A big cast with no special effects! We're a smart, funny and audience-friendly film!" Where was this film during awards season?! I know it was a strong year for films, but this should have been included, esp. Steve Carell.


ENCHANTED - ***1/2

I didn't want to like this film. I know it's biased to think that, but I think Disney has been phoning their animated films in since "Aladdin". The only reason I was willing to screen this was because of Amy Adams, who, in the rare case, actually *earned* her Oscar nomination for this film. Kristin Chenoweth is the only other actress I would have cast here. I fell in love with Amy after seeing "Catch Me If You Can" and was happy for her attention a couple years ago for her role in "Junebug" (note to self, you've had the movie for 3 years... maybe we should watch it?!?!)
I'm off track, I know. This film manages to combine so many elements: comedy, romance, music, huge production numbers, special effects and a wonderful cast. I haven't jumped on the "Grey's Anatomy" bandwagon, but I've been a fan of Patrick Dempsey's since "Can't Buy Me Love" and was disappointed that he ran into a career slump toward the end of the 80's. I think his appearance on "Will and Grace" was the turning point in his comeback. Track... me... not on... right. Just watch this film, it's fantastic and, regarding the music, I didn't think the songs were so great after hearing them on the Oscars but they work much better here and I'm now humming them all the time.


I AM LEGEND - **1/2

Will Smith carries this film well, but it's basically "Cast Away" in Manhattan with some zombies. The film has some great cinematography and special effects but it's a long 101 minutes where as "Cast Away" feels like a quick 143 minutes.


SHOOT 'EM UP - **1/2

No real story here and it's all action. But I liked it. It's like an audition tape for some more meaty material, obviously the director is a fan of graphic novels and video games. Much less stylized but similar enough to be an extension of Clive Owen's character of Dwight from "Sin City." It's over the top in every way and if that's what you're in the mood for, it's highly satisfying.


THERE WILL BE BLOOD - **1/2

Much like "No Country for Old Men" I just don't get all the hype over this film. Daniel Day Lewis is really good, but he's always really good. I did like this film as it had a good story, cast and production. But overall they were just good, not great. Definitely not my favorite Paul Thomas Anderson film ("Magnolia" still carries that trophy). Maybe I should have seen it before all the hype, maybe not many people watched their screener of "Atonement" or maybe I should give it some time to sink in and not watch 5 movies in 2 days.

Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical - **1/2

This film is not as much fun watching it alone as I would guess it would be with a group of people nor is it necessary to see the original 30's cult film, but it helps with some of the inside jokes.


Krisitn Bell is particularly good here, showing great charm, comedic timing and a voice well suited for this type of musical. Alan Cumming is also a standout (as always) and the whole cast has fun with their roles.

I didn't find the songs as memorable after one initial viewing like I did with a film like "Hairspray" (2007) but this 'movie verison of a musical based on a movie' genre can be quite tricky (see "The Producers" as a good example of something getting lost in the translation). I may give the soundtrack a more thorough listen and append this review.

Atonement / Cloverfield / The Queen / The Last King of Scotland

ATONEMENT - ***

Had the 3rd act not stumbled I would be inclined to give this 1/2 more star. I really liked the 1st act as it sets up the relationships and history (plays very much like a Merchant/Ivory film and I may have to rewatch some of those) and the 2nd act does a fine job of doing a WWII recreation (far better than Michael Bay did in "Pearl Harbor") with some powerful moments. The 3rd act isn't bad, just doesn't quite measure up to the 1st two, but Vanessa Redgrave's performance make up for it with a great performance with such little time.


CLOVERFIELD - ***

The camerawork made me nauseous toward the last third of the film, but a fun take on a 'monster movie.' I would be anxious to see a companion piece to this, a real Hollywood Blockbuster take on it which would only enhance this version of the film.


THE QUEEN - ***1/2

Fantastic film making, subtle yet memorable performance by Helen Mirren (what? someone earned their Oscar?!) Really interesting and enjoyable.


THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND - ***

Yes, I just happened to watch this and "The Queen" back to back. *Another* well-deserved Oscar win. Forrest Whitaker is frightening and charming, just like a good villain should be. James McAvoy does an equally great job of holding his own against this monster performance.