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Internet Movie Database
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04 Jan

Country Strong

Grade: B

Country Strong is set in the world of country music.  We start out meeting country star Kelly (Gwyneth Paltrow) in rehab.  Her husband (Tim McGraw) is ready to check her out, even though one of her caretakers, Beau (Garrett Hedlund), thinks she’s not ready.  Beau is also a country singer, so the husband hires him to come on the road and keep an eye on Kelly, not knowing that the two had been involved.  They also bring along Chiles Stanton, an up and coming singer (Leighton Meester) and life on the road gets interesting.  Kelly is fighting her demons, and the relationships play out like a soap opera.

The music is wonderful – and the story is heartbreaking, like a good country song.  Keep an eye out for Garrett Hedlund, he’s going to be a big star.  Those eyes, that voice… we’ll be seeing a lot more of him for sure.
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04 Jan

Coraline

Grade: B
Charming, quirky and utterly original animated movie, Coraline is a true work of art.  Interesting storyline about a young girl with workaholic parents who discovers a doorway to another reality in her new home.  In this alternate universe, her “other mother” starts out as a dream, but ends up a nightmare.  Coraline learns what a real home and family is all about.  The same kind of style as The Nightmare Before Christmas.  Very well done – I expect Coraline to be nominated in the best animated feature category.
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04 Jan

Constantine

Grade: C

Here’s Keanu Reeves, the only one who seems to get the “tortured soul who has taken on the task of saving the world” roles. This time it’s a battle between heaven and hell, waged right here on earth. Rachel Weisz has the gutsy girl part – the skeptic who comes around and eventually stands by him. Some cool effects, but pretty much by the book writing. Not my kind of movie, but not as bad as I expected it to be.
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04 Jan

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Grade: C

Isla Fisher stars in Confessions of a Shopaholic, based on the best-selling chick-lit novel.  It’s light and fluffy, but given the current economic crisis, very timely.  A young girl has her priorities all mixed up, as she finds fulfillment from material things instead of within.    She gets horribly in debt, and loses her job.  Ironically, she ends up working for a financial magazine, writing articles about money.  A debt collector hounds her, and she lies chronically.  She takes advantage of her friends, and she’s not a very likeable person – but for some reason her boss is smitten.  Of course at some point she learns her lesson and turns her life around.  Cute movie, great clothes, well styled by the same person who did “Sex and the City.”  And Isla Fisher is charming and great at physical comedy.
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04 Jan

Coach Carter

Grade: B+

Samuel L. Jackson is pretty much the only “name” star in this real life story about a high school basketball coach and his team in Northern California. Great messages throughout – a real tribute to conviction and determination. The young actors playing the students are all very good. Debbie Morgan (I remember her from All My Children!) plays Jackson’s love interest. Shows how one person can make a real difference – I love movies like that!
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04 Jan

Cloud Atlas

Grade: C+

Cloud Atlas is certainly ambitious.  And utterly original.  There’s really no specific genre for this film – it’s part sci-fi, part romance, part adventure – both futuristic and historical – character studies, and relationship-based.  Each leading actor plays many different parts, which intersect throughout the various storylines, which are set in different timelines.  This is the kind of movie where if you really liked it, you want to watch it again to see what you missed the first time around.

Tom Hanks and Halle Berry are terrific.  I guess my issue with the film is that it’s really long, and it takes a long time to get into it, and understand what is tying all these stories together.  It’s just all a little too much to take in.  But real film buffs will find it worth viewing, and film students may want to take notes!
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04 Jan

Closer

Grade: C+

This is an intense relationship drama, rated R for language, mostly talk about sex. Originally a play, Closer is really one dialogue after another. There’s a lot of talking, not a lot of action. The four characters are well developed and interesting – and their lives are unusually interwoven.

We first see Jude Law, a struggling writer, and Natalie Portman, a New York transplant, meet “cute” on the streets of London. Time elapses, they’re a couple, and Jude meets and falls for Julia Roberts, a portrait photographer. Then Clive Owen jumps into the mix, more time elapses, and things change for the couples.

The whole movie is these four people, and how they handle love, desire, and rejection. It’s heavy, and sometimes dark, but somehow intriguing, as if we are privy to their darkest secrets. All of the actors do well with their characters – but Natalie Portman is a stand out. She is this generation’s Audrey Hepburn.

Not for everyone, but worth seeing if you appreciate good acting.
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04 Jan

City Island

Grade: A-

Andy Garcia has lived in City Island, a remote neighborhood in New York, for his entire life.  The movie reflects on the culture of this area and the impact that it has on those living there.  He’s married to Julianna Marguiles, and they have a daughter in college and a son in high school.  Every one in the family has a secret.  They all love each other, and are trying to protect one another by keeping these secrets.  But of course, one thing leads to another, misunderstandings, hilarity ensues, and as secrets are revealed, they learn more about themselves and each other.

Poignant movie, definitely worth seeing.  Well written, great cast.
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04 Jan

Cinderella Man

Grade: A

So far, this is the best movie I’ve seen all year. Russell Crowe plays the title character, in the real life story of boxing champion James Braddock. Set during the depression, Braddock’s story becomes a kind of fairy tale for all those struggling through hard times. There’s a reason why Russell Crowe gets nominated so many times for his performances – he’s a great actor! He doesn’t even have to speak, it’s like you know what he’s thinking, his face is just so darn expressive. There are so many heartbreaking, and heartwarming moments in this film. I just loved it.

Ron Howard directs – he’s a genius. Renee Zellweger plays Braddock’s wife, Mae, sweet and tough at the same time, and fiercely devoted to her husband. Paul Giamatti is Braddock’s boxing manager. He and Braddock have a strong bond, and their loyalty to one another is what seems them through when the chips are down. And Craig Bierko is quite the villain! I think this is Bierko’s big break in the movies. He’s done a ton of television, usually as the handsome cad, but this is totally out of character for him. You hardly even recognize him in the role! I saw Bierko a few years ago when he had the lead in “Music Man” on Broadway. My friend Andre Garner had a small part in the show so I went just to see him. I was surprised at how well Bierko could sing and dance, and he ended up with a Tony nomination! What a great cast.

Cinderella Man is an amazing story, an amazing movie, well written, and well presented. This one is bound to get several nominations come awards season, and it deserves every one!
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04 Jan

Charlie Wilson’s War

Grade: B

Mike Nichols is one of my favorite directors, and he doesn’t disappoint in “Charlie Wilson’s War.”  Based on a true story, Charlie Wilson (played perfectly by Tom Hanks) is a United States Congressman from Texas.  He meets up with a Texas socialite (Julia Roberts) who entices him to take on a challenging covert mission – to fund the Afghans in their fight against the Soviets by providing weaponry and training.  What starts as a budget of 5 million dollars pretty quickly grows to 500 million when he brings other politicians on board and they see the good that they can do in this war-stricken area.

Sassy banter between these two major stars is the highlight of the film.  Aaron Sorkin, who is so good at political comedy, wrote the screenplay.

Another quick history lesson – one that we all wish had ended on a better note, given what we know has happened since then.
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