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Internet Movie Database
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05 Jan

Winter’s Bone

Grade: B-

Winter’s Bone is an independent film which might be hard to find in some areas.  It’s a dark story, that highlights the strength and determination of a 17 year old girl, played by Jennifer Lawrence.  This character, Rhee, is truly remarkable.  She is stuck in a small shack in the middle of practically nowhere in the harsh winter, raising her younger brother and sister and taking care of her mentally ill mother.  Life is difficult, but she does it every day, struggling to get food on the table and the kids to school.

One day a sheriff comes to the home and tells Rhee that her father got out of prison on a bond, for which he put the house up as collateral.  The father is now missing, so unless she can find him, she will lose the house.  The movie is about all this girl goes through to figure out what happened to her father so that she can continue to take care of her family.

Jennifer Lawrence is a revelation – there’s lots of awards talk around her performance, it’s amazing.  She carries the whole film.
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05 Jan

Win Win

Grade: A-

Win Win stars Paul Giamatti as full time lawyer struggling to maintain his practice while he coaches the struggling high school wrestling team.  He takes on guardianship of one of his older clients in order to make ends meet – and that’s when his life is shaken up in unexpected and wonderful ways.  Some challenges, and some nice surprises, this movie is heartwarming, funny, and sweet.  Yes, it is rated R – and the only reason is because the “F” word is used more than once.  There’s no violence or sex.  Loved this one!
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05 Jan

Water for Elephants

Grade: B+

Mega-stars Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson star in Water for Elephants, based on the novel.  We start off with Hal Holbrook, who is the older version of Robert’s character, telling his story, so the bulk of the movie is set as a flash-back.  A young veterinarian ends up running off with the circus, where he meets a beautiful young woman who happens to be married to the ringmaster, and owner of the struggling troupe.  The husband, played by Academy Award winner Christoph Walz, is horribly abusive, and the two end up helplessly attracted to one another.  Lots of drama, and a wonderful cast of characters.  Very good!
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05 Jan

Vampires Suck

Grade: C

“Vampires Suck” but this movie actually doesn’t!  It’s actually a very clever little parody of the first two Twilight films.  You probably have to have seen at least one of the movies to get all the insider jokes that go on.  It’s a great movie to see with a teen girl, who will likely appreciate the humor.  Great casting – the girl who plays “Becca” (rather than Bella) does an amazing impression of Kristen Stewart, she’s got all the little nuances down, including the look of teen angst that runs under almost every line of dialogue. One of the cute guys from the TV show 90210 plays Edward.

Yes, a little over-the-top and silly, but still smart in places, and worth seeing if you’re a Twilight fan.
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05 Jan

Trance

Grade: B+

In Danny Boyle’s Trance, James McAvoy plays Simon, an art auctioneer who is seriously injured while trying to prevent one of his prize paintings from being stolen.  But right away we question Simon’s innocence, and motives. He can’t remember, or can he?  Danny  Boyle sets up the plot so that we never really know what is truth and what is suggestion.  Rosario Dawson comes in as a skilled psychotherapist who uses hypnotherapy to help Simon recover his memory.  And they become personally involved – or do they?  It’s a tangled web of deception and misdirection that keeps us guessing.  Fast paced, this movie moves quickly and is full of twists and turns.
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05 Jan

Toy Story 3

Grade: A

Toy Story 3 is the kind of movie that is easy to love.  We already know the core characters, Woody, the loyal cowboy voiced by Tom Hanks, Buzz, the brave astronaut voiced by Tim Allen, and Jessie, the sweet cowgirl voiced by Joan Cusack.  The characters are ageless, timeless, because they are toys.  But as the movie starts, we see that their “owner” Andy, has aged quite a bit.  The toys are in the box, just waiting to be played with, and Andy is off to college.  The adventure begins when Andy’s mom insists that he decide what to do with his things – take them to college, put them in the attic, or donate them.

There is something so touching and poignant about the loyalty, the love, the companionship that exists not only between Andy and his toys, but amongst the toys themselves.  These are real, fleshed-out characters that we can totally relate to.  And the villain is this pink teddy-bear – so clever!  The writing is wonderful.  And we are swept away in the amazingly beautiful 3D artwork.

Absolutely loved it.
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05 Jan

Total Recall

Grade: C+

Total Recall is a Total Remake of the classic sci-fi film that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger.  This time around it’s Colin Farrell in the lead role.  It’s really a whole new story, updated with lots of new technology and new special effects.  We’re kept guessing, which is a good thing.  Two very strong female roles, played by Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel.  Love it when the girls get the better of the guys – smart, sexy, and savvy!
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05 Jan

This is 40

Grade: C

Judd Apatow’s new film “This is 40” picks up with the characters of married couple Pete and Debbie from one of his previous films, “Knocked Up.”  Leslie Mann (Apatow’s real life wife) and Paul Rudd reprise their roles.  It’s Debbie’s 40th birthday, which causes her to assess her life and make new goals for herself and her family.  Mann and Apatow’s real life kids play Paul and Debbie’s daughters Sadie and Charlotte.

This is 40 is rated R – and it’s really an R – there is lots of language and some sex and juvenile jokes about sex.

There are parts of the movie that are really charming and warm – definitely relatable for the over-35 crowd.  But there are also parts that are just plain mean, and not funny at all.  I don’t like the way the various characters speak to one another – and I hope people don’t get the impression that this is the way it is in households across America, because that’s just SO not the case!  As a relationship expert, I’d say this movie is an example of all the things NOT to do in a relationship.

A mixed bag.  Paul  Rudd is the best part of the movie – and the kids – they’re really cute!
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05 Jan

There Will Be Blood

Grade: B

Daniel Day Lewis earned an Oscar nomination for his leading role in “There Will Be Blood,” a movie that was nominated for Best Film.  Certainly, the production value is stellar, and the acting is amazing.  This is definitely a movie lover’s movie.

It was about ten minutes in before there was any dialogue.  We meet Daniel Day Lewis’ character as a young man just getting started in the oil business.  He works hard, and suffers, obviously putting everything he has into making himself and his company a success.  And it finally pays off, big time.  When one of his workers, a single father, dies in his well, he takes the boy as his own.

As the business grows, the man becomes more greedy, and more desperate, and more corrupt.  He buys land in California, and drills like crazy.  He makes promises he can’t keep, and gets a whole town to buy into his vision.  Meanwhile a bad accident leaves his son deaf, and a long-lost  half brother comes back into his life.  If there’s one thorn in his side, it’s the local evangelist.  A real battle between the two, and in the end, no one wins.

This is a dark movie – a real character study.  Interesting, but not for everyone.
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05 Jan

The Wrestler

Grade: C

Darren Aronofsky famous for directing The Fountain and Pi directs The Wrestler.  The direction is interesting.  Good shots, good acting, nice pace.  Mickey Rourke stars as “The Ram” – a wrestler who had his glory days in the 1980’s.  Now he’s old, and broke, and trying to keep up in the wrestling world where he’s pretty much a has-been.  Marisa Tomei plays his love interest, a single mother making ends meet as an exotic dancer.  Evan Rachel Wood plays The Ram’s estranged daughter.

The movie is well done, but the story is hard to watch.  It’s one of those situations where you can’t really like the main character.  He makes bad decisions.  He got himself into this mess, and as much as you’d like to see him  turn it around, you know he won’t because that’s how he is. It’s painful.  So although the elements are there – and real film buffs will  appreciate the artistry of the movie – to me it’s just not entertainment.  It’s one of those “feel bad” movies where you leave a little depressed.
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