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Reviews
Greenberg (2010)
Can a movie be more depressing?
Greenberg is a dreadfully boring tale drama by Ben Stiller. The story centers around Roger Greenberg (Stiller) and Florence, his brothers personal assistant. Roger's character has just been release from a mental institution after a nervous breakdown. He is house sitting at his brother's home where he begins a relationship with Florence. During Roger's six week stay we watch him write letters of complaints to companies, engage in awkward sex with Florence and have tantrums for now good reason.
Pretty much every character in this movie is rude and unhappy as hell. The only rather interestingly sane character is Roger's friend Ivan who himself is living in a hotel while going through a trial separation from his wife. While it would seem that no one would want to be near Roger, Ivan takes his phone calls and drives him around wherever he needs to go. Oh, that's because Roger doesn't drive
not sure if it's due to a legal issue or a mental one.
Anyway, all I could think about during this movie was Woody Allen, another depressed guy staring in a depressing movie. But to some this may be a compliment as many people like Woody Allen movies and would love to be compared to him. Personally, I don't care for it. There's enough misery in real life (check out your local evening news), I don't want to spend $10 to sit in a dark theater and wallow in more.
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Letters to Juliet (2010)
"Juliet's secretaries" would have made a better movie.
I'm as much a fan of chick flicks as the next person but this is a chick flick I am not a fan of. Sophie is an American magazine fact checker and aspiring writer on a "pre-honeymoon" with her fiancé in Italy. She comes across a courtyard in Verona where women from all over the world are coming to leave letters for Juliet, Shakespeare's Juliet. After following a woman gathering all the letters at the end of the day Sophie finds out that a small group of women personally answer each letter. They call themselves, "Juliet's secretaries". Sophie is invited to join them in answering letters.
One evening retrieving letters, Sophie finds a letter written 50 years ago and decides to respond to the writer in hopes she is still alive. Soon after she is surprised when the grandson of the letter writer (Charlie), arrives in Verona stating that she should mind her own business. Because of her intrusion his grandmother (Claire) is in Italy foolishly attempting to find her one true love.
I was put off by how the character of the grandson, Charlie was written. He was rude which made him very unattractive. The character arc attempted to portray how he is very guarded after his parents' untimely death. It even goes on to mention how he works as a pro bono attorney. He is intended to be gruff on the outside with endearing qualities on the inside. Whatever, even after his back story I still couldn't get past the initial first impression – jerk.
As the story line continues the trio of Charlie, Claire and Sophie traipse around Verona trying to find Claire's long lost love. All they have to go on is his name Lorenzo Bartolini (which they find is quite a common name) and that fact that Claire believes he is still living in Verona. This should have been a vignette instead it took way too long. I found myself fast forwarding through each meeting with a Lorenzo Bartolini. I was bored.
The yawns continued with the Sophie and Victor (her fiancé) scenario. It was predictable, early on the audience is shown how distracted her fiancé is with his own life and aspirations. The fact that it took almost the entire movie before she dumps him is amazing.
A more interesting story would have been of "Juliet's secretaries"; the group of women that answer the letters of the distressed, confused and heartbroken. Who were these women and what brought them to the table to now be in a place to give advice to others? That would have been interesting.
Overall, it was a cute premise, but this story didn't deserve an entire movie.
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Date Night (2010)
Great way to spend YOUR date night
Looking for a fun evening out? Look no further than Date Night. In this movie starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey you will have your funny bone tickled like you haven't had in a work week.
Steve Carell and Tina Fey star as Phil and Claire Foster, a suburban New Jersey couple looking to have a night out on the town in New York. In this comedy of errors laughter begins with Phil taking the reservation of the Tripplehorn's a no-show at a swanky new restaurant. Unbeknownst to them the couple they are pretending to be are in the cross hairs of a local gangster. The Tripplehorn's are blackmailing the gangster with information saved on a flash drive. Mistaken identity ensues and so does the hilarious chase.
Once the Tripplehorn's are found Phil and Claire realize that the information on the flash drive is not to blackmail the gangster, but is stolen pictures the gangster is going to use to blackmail a politician. With the help of a former client of Claire's Holbrooke Grant (Mark Wahlberg) must find the flash drive, figure out a way to escape the gangster and the politician and get back home to their suburban lives.
Watching the outtakes during the credits make me wonder how much of this movie was scripted. Highlighting the combined comic skills of Steve and Tina; that's a recipe for hilarious improvisations. Was their dance scene really choreographed? It makes me chuckle even know when I write this. This movie is a great way to spend a date night.
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Lottery Ticket (2010)
Don't waste your time
One thing comes to mind after watching this movie. Redbox! If you must see this movie, please don't spend $10 and 2 hours on this. Wait for the DVD release.
While I am happy that some folks are working and got a check for making this movie, this story is not worth full price. This is a story of what would happen if a young guy won the lottery in the ghetto. Word gets out about Kevin's (Bow Wow) winning, but because it is the 4th of July weekend he can't redeem the ticket until after the long weekend. So he has to try to hold on to the ticket and dodge gold-digging girls, thugs and drug dealers.
The storyline was predictable and the premise is weak. I guess I am supposed to care how a young man from the projects would spend his winnings, but I don't. There are some serious after school special undertones here. The writers are trying to tug the heart strings and the conscious. The heartstrings by highlighting the good girl/bad girl ideology will Kevin choose the good girl Stacie or the hot gold digger. Attempting to make the audience think, does money really solve all your problems? As was said earlier
don't care.
There are a lot of the stereotypical 'hood characters; the bible thumping grandmother, the local gangster, the hot hood rat, the good girl, the loyal best friend and the wise old person. None of the characters were interesting. If you miss The Lottery Ticket, you won't miss much.
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Clash of the Titans (2010)
Fun fantasy movie
After his roles in Terminator 4 and the blockbuster Avatar, Sam Worthington continues his fantasy leading man roles as Perseus in the remake of the 1981 cult classic, Clash of the Titans. This is a new imagination of the timeless mythology of the world of gods, monsters and men. No stop-action animation and obvious miniatures this time.
Perseus begins his life simply enough as the son of a fisherman. But life soon takes a cruel turn when the only family he knows is taken from him by the gods they serve. Soon he is presented with an opportunity to get justice by a chance of birth, his own. He is told he is the son of Zeus. But Perseus takes no pleasure in this information, he spurns it. He even turns down an offer from Zeus himself to be given sanctuary and end his quest of revenge. Ultimately he embraces being a demi-god to strike a blow at the gods that no mortal man ever could.
In this adaptation Perseus is not motivated to battle medusa or the kraken to save the damsel in distress, Andromeda. No, he is on a mission of revenge. This is what I liked most that gives this contemporary Perseus an edgier demeanor. He is of the mindset that if Andromeda or anyone else happens to benefits from his conquests cool, but that is not his goal. He is a man with a single focus and determination, destroy Hades.
Continually catching my attention in this movie were the locations. There were views from mountain tops overlooking a sea of clouds, barren inactive volcanoes to jutting cliff sides, visually stunning.
The story line is predictable, so what is there to like? The fight scenes! He and his companions battle witches, gigantic scorpions, a deformed king, medusa and finally the kraken. With the new digital technology you believed they were fighting those scorpions. Medusa on the other hand; hey, even with new technology medusa and her head full of snakes is only going to look so real. But, I love to watch a good fight. In Clash of the titans I got 'em.
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Inception (2010)
The best film of 2010
Following Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb and his team (including scene stealing Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Arthur) through a multilayered dreamscape is a thrill for the mind and the eye. Starring in this bond meets the matrix adventure along with Leonardo and Joseph is Ellen Page, Tom Hardy and Ken Watanbe. Inception is written and directed by Chris Nolan, director of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.
The story follows a team of what I would call dream spies. It begins as they are attempting to extract information from the subconscious of a target, Saito (Ken Watanbe). But things don't go quite as planned, the target is more aware of the team's special skills than they realize. The dreamscape crumbles around them and the participants awaken, minus a team member.
Saito (still possessing the unknown information) propositions the team to stretch their abilities and go beyond extracting information to planting information in the subconscious. Can this be done; can a thought introduced by another be accepted as one's own? Needing a new team, Cobb and Arthur must recruit the skills of a talented college student, Ariadne (Ellen Page) and an experienced forger, Eames (Tom Hardy) to attempt the task. Together they embark on a journey that will take them not only into the deepest recesses of the new target's mind but their own as well.
The look of the dream world is real yet pliable to the workings of a dream architect. This is where the special effects add depth to an interesting story. The idea of manipulating space and time is exciting. It's like being able to take a painter's brush to the world. The effects make you believe you are exactly where the characters say you are. If Arthur tells you that it takes 3 minutes for something to fall, in the dreamscape time slows enough to watch each nano second pass.
Inception is a mind bending ride full of twist, turns, ups and downs. I enjoyed every minute of it.
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Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
I could easily see this on the big screen, live action.
All I can say about this direct to DVD Batman animated movie is
it's not for little kids. This animated version is every bit as good as the live-action.
The story begins with the Joker beating the hell out of the new Robin. For those not in the know, this Robin is Jason Todd, a street child Bruce Wayne took as his ward. Anyway, as Robin lay unconscious on the floor Joker sets a timer for a bomb to blow up the building their in and leaves. Robin awakens bloodied and bruised dragging himself to try and open the door to no avail. Meanwhile Batman is feverishly trying to get to Robin's location. But he's too late. The building explodes when he is only a few feet from the door. After the smoke clears we see Bruce carrying the dead body of Robin away. That's how the movie starts! I told you this isn't Batman for your third grader.
Years go by and a new menace has arrived, the red hood. He makes it clear by the number of dead bodies he leaves in his wake that he means to take over Gotham. Batman and Night Wing (the first Robin) feebly try to keep the scales of justice tipping in the direction of good but they are no match for the red hood.
What makes a superhero? Is it a person who makes the streets a safer place out of goodness of his heart, looking for no compensation? What if he wasn't a billionaire trust fund baby? How would you go about cleaning up the streets then? Can you spill some blood for the greater good? This story asks those questions. Just like in life nothing is as simple as it seems. My hat goes off to the writers who weave a tight story of crime, punishment, loyalty and resentment.
When under the red hood ended, it left me wanting more. I couldn't believe it was over. As I said initially this storyline is worthy of its live-action counterpart. Rent it.
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Män som hatar kvinnor (2009)
A good thriller
The girl with the dragon tattoo is based on the novels the Millennium Trilogy by Swedish author Stieg Larsson. It is a dark thriller that deals with money, corruption, sex and murder. The heroine Lisbeth Salander is wonderfully played by Noomi Rapace. Lisbeth is a hacker for hire that is on parole. She becomes interested in a local journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Mikael is soon to begin a prison term for libel against a wealthy businessman when he is hired by the Vanger family to investigate the 40 year old murder of a 16 year old.
Lisbeth has a talent for finding secrets although we, the audience, are kept unaware of the skeletons in her closet. Clearly, a troubled young woman she is intrigued by the case of the journalist whom she believes has been set up. She hacks into his computer to follow the Vanger case and comes across the answer to a clue. She emails Mikael the information which begins there partnership in solving the case.
The setting in the first half of the movie is just as cold and stark as the characters in the story. As Mikael and Lisbeth get closer (or warmer) to the answers of the missing girl, so does the setting. Winter gives way to spring and Mikael and Lisbeth's friendship thaws out as well.
Noomi delivers a brooding pain that is conveyed realistically without being stiff. Very little is revealed of Lisbeth's past but the audience is enthralled waiting, wondering what happened to her to make her the woman that she is? The story gives us interesting twists and turns as we follow the partners piece together 40 year old clues. Who would want to kill a 16 year old girl and why? As the case is slowly revealed we are kept intrigued until its satisfying ending. Be on the lookout for the next in the trilogy, "The girl who played with fire" and the final in the trilogy "The girl who kicked the hornet's nest" due to be released in the fall of 2010.
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The Expendables (2010)
Testosterone Fest
It is a testosterone bonanza in Sylvester Stallone's new movie The Expendables. In this star studded cast we follow Stallone's character Barney Ross and his band of mercenaries through a bullet riddled, fist flying, explosion packed ride.
The story is of a small island is being over-run by a corrupt military and a rouge CIA agent looking to use the islanders as drug producing free labor. Coming to their rescue with rippling muscles and tons of fire power are Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Stathom, Dolf Lundgren (yes, Drago from Rocky IV) and others.
There are surprise appearances in this movie that gives homage to just about every movie bad-ass hero there is. There were so many action heroes that I was expecting to see Jean-Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal come around a corner and deliver a line at any moment.
The fight scenes were choreographed well with plenty of winces and "damn"s from the audience. The hand to hand combat in scenes featuring Jet and Jason were beautiful. With Jason's smoothness and Jet's acrobatics it was like watching two accomplished dancers. But don't get me wrong, there was plenty of brute force in the hard hitting, body slamming scenes with Sly, Dolf and Steve Austin. Round all of that out with explosions galore and more bullets than you count and you've got yourself an end of the summer blockbuster.
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Hereafter (2010)
McLaren brothers stole the show
O.k. so I have a lump in my throat the size of an apple. Doggone it Clint Eastwood, I don't like crying in public. But I couldn't help it with this thoughtful story of three people whose lives converge after brushes with death. Hereafter begins with Marie Lelay (Cecile De France) a successful French investigative new anchor on holiday when a violent tsunami strikes. Caught in a wave she is injured and dies. She is brought back to life by bystanders who administer CPR. She is back but her life will never be same after experiencing visions during her period of unconsciousness.
We are then introduced to George Lonegan (Matt Damon) an American psychic trying to hide his "gift" of being able to see and hear the dead from the slightest brush with a person. George only wants to find a way to have a normal life. "A life that's all about death is no life at all." This is what he tries to make his brother understand. Regretfully all his brother sees is a way to make money by "reading" people. The only solace George has is listening to audio books of Charles Dickens novels.
Finally, we meet Marcus (Frankie/George McLaren) a British identical twin schoolboy. Marcus lives with his twin older brother (by 12 min) Jason and his drug addicted mother. When their mother sends Jason to the pharmacist to fill a prescription he is tragically killed in an accident. The death of Jason pushes their mother to want to finally get off drugs but that will mean she will have to go into a residential treatment center. Marcus has lost his brother and mother in one swoop. Sent to live with foster parents we watch him walk a solitary existence surrounded by people.
I must state here that Frankie and George do a wonderful job. The only billing I can find lists them both as both Marcus and his brother Jason. It leaves us to assume that considering they are identical twins that they both played both characters. Having said that, their freshman performances were very good, not only were they believable but their appearance is perfect for the role. Those sad eyes pull at your heart strings every time they appear on screen. The scene between Marcus and Matt Damon is quite moving. This is when I have to surreptitiously wipe my eyes. Thank goodness for fall scarves.
The loneliness Marcus feels is echoed in both Matt Damon and Marie's characters. Neither of them has anyone they can talk to who understands what they are going through. In an attempt to cope Marie writes a book of her experiences about the afterlife which leads her to London for a book signing. George leaves America and his pushy brother trying to find peace. He flies to London to tour the home of Charles Dickens and notices that the author of his audio books will be reading at a nearby book fair. This same book fair is where Marcus' foster parents have taken him. I won't spoil the movie by telling you everything that happens next but the story unfolds satisfyingly.
Hereafter does a wonderful job bringing this thought provoking topic to the big screen. What happens when we die? No one will ever know, but how we live knowing that death can be around the very next corner, that is the real question. How will we live? www.rivareviews.com
The Tourist (2010)
Wasted Star Power
I was quite disappointed with The Tourist. I like both Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp but this was not the best vehicle for them. First I thought Angie's talents were wasted. If she is billed as a mysterious woman/possible spy I am anticipating some action. She was just the sex pot in this movie. Her character could have been played by any attractive female actress. I missed the opportunity to see her cunning and strength.
I don't know what they were trying to do with Johnny's character, make him less attractive? He is supposed to be just a regular guy but all I kept thinking is why doesn't he have a haircut? Will somebody please shave him? It is a given that he is a beautiful man it was distracting to have him looks so disheveled. The way his character was written does not make me think Johnny Depp. I believe it was miscast. Johnny is a strong dramatic actor as shown in Return to Neverland and of course his comedic and acrobatic/action chops are solid in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Here both actors were wasted.
The story was o.k. But the most disappointing thing about this movie was the lack of heat between Angie and Johnny. When her character seems to fall for his it is totally unbelievable. My only thought was why? I expected fireworks on the screen between the two of them and I got nada.
The most confusing of all was what type of movie was this? It has been nominated by the golden globes in the comedy category. Really
where? Yet the trailers bill it as an action, thriller. Neither category was done well in this case. It was not an exciting action movie or a thriller and definitely not a comedy. The screenwriters seemed to just throw a little bit of this and a little of that into the story to attempt to cover all the bases. Regretfully, it missed the base and I miss the price of admission I paid.
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Let Me In (2010)
Let the right one in vs. Let me in
While both movies were good, I did like one better than the other. The American language version Let me in stayed very close to the original Swedish Let the right one in. The American version did a great job sticking to type for the characters. The actors looked very similar to the original. The location was also duplicated very well. I like how in the American version the vampire Abby was barefoot in the middle of winter from the beginning. That made the audience uncomfortable right away.
But other things added didn't add to the story at all. The most glaring omission or rather addition was that of the police officer vs. the woman from the neighborhood. (Spoiler alert) In Let the right one in the vampire Eli "turns" a woman from the neighborhood. There was also the nosey man from the neighborhood that got it in the end. There was no reason for the police officer in Let me in that added to the story line at all.
I hated the special effects in the American version when Abby attacked. It was so much more believable in Let the right one in when she just jumped on her attacker. The effects in the American version were cheesy and distracting. Just because you can use a special effect doesn't mean you should.
American movies seem to spell things out a little too much. Case in point was the boardwalk picture. I believe that American audiences would have been savvy enough to figure out the nature Abby and her guardian's relationship and the fate that stands ahead for Owen, her 12 year old friend.
So, overall I think Let the right one in wins as the better movie to see; as long as you don't mind subtitles.
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The Fighter (2010)
Brotherly love - How far does it extend?
I don't know why I keep doing this to myself. I love good movies but man oh man I cannot watch a boxing movie without flinching. The fighter is a good underdog movie. The thing that makes it a bit different is the fact that the hero Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg) isn't the cause of his troubles; it's his love and devotion to his family and crack addicted Brother Dickey.
Dickey played by Christian Bale was heartbreakingly believable. The sad reality is that many people suffer from the same type of addiction that can slowly kill him, his family and his dreams. It is a hard look at how a person handles life after their moment in the spotlight has passed. It showed how difficult it is to live in the present and pass on your unfulfilled dreams to another. It takes a strong person to take hold of the what is truly ahead of them and put someone else's needs center stage.
The fight scenes in this movie are brutal. I can watch martial arts and sci fi shoot em' ups but when it comes to this type of one on one brawling, its difficult to watch. Mark Wahlberg stated he trained for a year to prepare for this movie. He didn't disappoint, every match looked real (as much as I could watch that is). But the fighting was not limited to the ring. The rowdy bunch Mickey Ward calls family had plenty of action outside the ring as well. Wow, this is a tough group of folk.
Mark Wahlberg is well on his way to being very Stephen King like in the way that he highlights hometown stories. Stephen King is synonymous with Maine as it looks like Mark Wahlberg will be with Massachusettes. But hey, every town has a story to tell, why not MA.
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Winter's Bone (2010)
Stark and chilling
It is hard to believe that some people still lead such frontier like existences. Even though this movie is set in Missouri, you would think it was in the hills of the Appalachian. Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) is the matriarch of her family at the tender age of 17. She takes care of her mentally ill mother, her younger sister and brother as best she can as her drug making/dealing father has left the family to tend for themselves.
Ree is informed by a bounty hunter that the house they live in has been put up as bond for her father who has a pending court date. If he is not found and presented in court they will lose their home. So, Ree takes it upon herself to find her wayward father. What follows is are encounters that I could only describe as scary. Scary because these people she is seeking out for information are her own relatives. This movie is a perfect example of, with family members like these who needs enemies.
Jennifer Lawrence's performance commands your attention. She portrays a believable strength and resilience of a mature actor. You feel her frustration and lack of opportunity in the way she delivers a line or when in her silence. There are scenes where you feel for the desperation of this child's circumstances or fear for her life. The audience almost grieved for her when the army recruiter told her to stick it out at home because she was needed and not to enlist. Or felt the pain when she is revealed to the audience after a "conversation" with a group of distant female relatives. If this is how they deal with their "family", anybody else doesn't stand a chance.
The code of secrecy in this community is one that WILL be adhered to by all its inhabitants. When that code is broken; there are dire consequences. Through all of the poverty and crime Ree pushes on to find her father in order to secure her family.
This movie reminds me when I am traveling across this great nation of ours; stick to the main roads. You never know what is going on and how people are living in the back country.
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True Grit (2010)
Old fashioned shoot em up
True Grit was enjoyable tale of 14 year old Mattie Ross's (Hailee Steinfeld) journey to have the murder of her father avenged. In order to bring her father's murderer to justice she hires U.S Marshal "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges); known for getting his man. They are joined by LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) a Texas Ranger looking for the same man for a separate offense.
Mattie Ross's character is written with maturity and intelligence. Hailee Steinfeld portrays it wonderfully. She holds her own on the screen in the midst of Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon like a seasoned veteran. I have yet to see an interview with Hailee it will be interesting to hear what she normally sounds like to understand how much a departure this character was from her real identity. Her introductory performance is second only to Jennifer Lawrence of "Winter's Bone".
The only scene that left me uncomfortable was the scene in which Rooster kicks to Indian children who were sticking a donkey with pointed sticks off the porch. I do not care for animal cruelty but when he pushed the children and the laughter in the audience reminded me off the era; post civil war. The same civil war vet that protected a donkey probably wouldn't have raised a finger to help a Black person.
After shaking that off I got back to enjoying the story, which I did. The script was written well and interesting. It was an old fashioned good guy, bad guy shoot 'em up which was worth the time.
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The Stoning of Soraya M. (2008)
Heartwrenching
Set in a small Iranian village in 1986 this story begins as Feidoune Sahebjam's (James Caviezel) car breaks down and he is met by a woman who recognizes he is a journalist. She has a story to tell of the injustice going on in the town that the world should know about; as the movie titles states, the stoning of Soraya.
One of the first things you are struck by is the remoteness of this village. It seems not only cut off from the rest of the world geographically but developmentally as well. Their modest homes were in most cases rather cavernous. You are reminded that so much of the world does not revolve around the modern conveniences of today.
The next thing you are stuck by, which is most central to the plot, the plight of the woman. While it is true that most in this village have very few possessions it is the lack of power and rights is what is truly appalling. Zahra, the aunt of Soraya, portrayed wonderfully by Shohreh Aghdashloo risks her very life to communicate with Feidoune. As Zahra tells the story of Soraya's life we are shown a world where misogyny and illiteracy are the norm. This is a place where men rule with an iron fist and women are seen as worthless cattle.
This is illustrated in one scene as Soraya (Mozhan Marno) argues with her husband. In the middle of the argument her young son jumps up and yells at her in defense of his father. This shows how that by the time a child in this society is a preteen they know the gender ranking. A boy of 12 knows that he can speak and treat his own mother disrespectfully is saddening.
Shohreh Aghdashloo and Mozhan Marno's portrayal of these characters is excellent. I have been a fan of Shohreh Aghdashloo since I first saw her in The house of sand and fog. I just love her voice. She always seems to bring such dignity to the characters she plays. This film was my introduction to Mozhan Marno I hope to see more of her as well. Even though I know she was acting her death was horrible to watch. To think that the real Soraya had to endure that type of torturous death is unthinkable.
This is a movie that will bring up different emotions for different people. Whether those emotions are anger, sadness, contempt, or empathy this movie is one that should be seen because these stories need to be told. People should not suffer in silence. As Zahra says at the end of the movie; the world should know.
Been Rich All My Life (2006)
Truly inspiring...a must see for all professional hoofers
This documentary follows the lives of the Silver Bells, ladies aged 84-96 who were Harlem showgirls in the heyday of 1930's clubs. It follows how they formed a tap troupe and still perform in New York. They follow them as they travel to their rehearsals and performances and interview them in their homes.
It is this independence that stands out most prominently in this movie. Watching them in their advanced ages maneuvering through the crowded streets they've lived on for so long. It makes a younger viewer tired as one of the ladies shows the route she has to take, which includes multiple trains and buses to get to rehearsal one way.
During the rehearsals you get to see the feisty side of some of these ladies and the perfectionism that they have for their craft. Some still teach the younger dancers attempting to make sure the art of tap is not lost. There are also photos and video clips of the clubs and performers from days gone by interspersed throughout. Looking at all the autographed pictures they possess and how many of the performers they worked with really makes you appreciate their clear memory. They definitely have stories to tell.
They told stories of how they were founding members of the American Guild of Variety Artists. This is a national union that began during the strike of showgirls in Harlem. So many benefit from this union but hardly anyone knows how it all began; that a handful of Black showgirls in Harlem said enough, we deserve better treatment. They also told stories about their performances abroad; riding steamer ships to faraway lands. How dance and the jazz culture took them to places they would never have had the opportunity to see.
Being that all of these women are older necessarily some physical limitations are evident. The most poignant part of the documentary is the possibility of injury. At their age some injures can be fatal. Even with that being the case these women keep performing. They keep the music playing, audiences smiling and hands clapping.
Charlie St. Cloud (2010)
Pleasantly surprised
Zac Efron stars in the touching tale of a young man who must deal with the untimely death of his little brother. It is the last few weeks of his senior year in high school and Charlie (Efron) has a bright future ahead of him. From a single parent, working class family Charlie is a talented sailor that has a scholarship to an Ivey league university.
The night of Charlie's graduation, with the responsibility of watching his brother Sam, he attempts to sneak out to attend a friend's farewell party who will be leaving to join the military. But as he quietly turns on his car there's Sam right in front of the car. After a little teasing Charlie agrees to drop his brother at a friend's house. As they are driving tragedy strikes, they are in a car accident that kills his little brother. Unable to release the pain and guilt of his brother's death Charlie doesn't accept the scholarship. Years go by and Charlie is stuck. Stuck in the same town in grew up in and stuck in a routine to keep his brother's memory alive.
A young woman Tess, a sailor, enters Charlie's life. While sailing during a storm Tess doesn't return. Charlie has a decision to make does he stay for Sam or go save Tess.
In his first adult role Zac Efron was believable as the pain stricken brother. I was interested to see how he would fare in this dramatic role. I was impressed. One scene that stands out in my mind is when he was asked to come to the local bar after work. The emotion that he exhibited without words was clear as he attempted to fit in to the happy crowd around him. Zac's got some acting chops. He carried this movie well and made it enjoyable.
We know Zac is a cutie that can sing and dance. Now we see he can hold his own in a drama. All we need now is to see if he can be a tough guy; execute some martial arts and handle a weapon then ladies and gentleman we may have our next superstar.
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Grown Ups (2010)
Disappointing
For a movie to be called grownups adolescent jokes abound in this movie. From the guys playing "the dozens" with each other to peeing in a public pool it was like watching overgrown teenage boys.
The movie centers on a group of childhood friends that come together due to the death of their middle school basketball coach. The friends with their wives and children spend the weekend together to scatter the coach's ashes and get reacquainted. While there they refocus on what is really important in life; friends and family.
The plot was uninspired. Middle aged men looking at their lives and realizing how off the mark they are. The story was just an excuse to get all these really funny guys together. Too bad their talents were wasted on potty humor and sex (or rather the lack thereof that they complain about). There were stereotypical characters like the rich guy with spoiled kids or the hen pecked husband. These characters gave way to the regular repertoire of momma jokes or fat jokes.
I sat in the theater thinking I wish I had a remote to fast forward. I was uninterested in the story and the characters. I was under no illusion that this would not be a thought provoking drama but I was expecting lots of laughs with this line up. Regretfully, I was mistaken. I chuckled a few times but that was about it. I can't even suggest renting this movie. If you miss seeing this movie you will miss nothing.
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Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
If this is the afterlife, it's boring
Alice is back again but she could have stayed away. She returns to kick more zombie butt, too bad she does in it such an old, been-there-done-that fashion. Tired effects from 1999 were used way too much in the movie. What happened? Did somebody see the original Matrix and think, "Ooo let's let Alice run wild with these cool effects?" It would have been cool
at the turn of the century. Now, it's just plain boring. How many times have you seen the effect where the subject is frozen and the camera swings around them? Or how about the slow motion bullet dodge. That effect has been used in everything from commercials to Stewie and Lois on the family guy.
When it comes to the scare factor and gore, the scare factor was weak. Again the producers used a warmed over effect, the peeled open face thing from the Blade series. It would have been better to see Alice and company kill zombies the old fashioned way, with wired acrobatic martial arts moves, knives, swords, guns and bombs.
The gore factor was mild, no arterial blood squirting in 3D or anything. Speaking of that, why is the movie in 3D? It adds absolutely nothing to the experience or the story. O.k. Hollywood it's been a couple of years now of having America sit in theaters with plastic glasses on, enough is enough.
The movie company already has a Resident Evil 5 in the works. Boy, they do know how to beat a dead horse. (Spoiler alert) Trecia Helfer (6 from Battlestar Galactica) is great but do you really want to pay full price to see her in future zombie flick #5? So, in a nutshell if you like the series it doesn't really matter if it's good or not you'll pay full price to see Alice. But otherwise keep your money in your pocket.
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Takers (2010)
Predictable but full of eye candy
This crime/action movie follows the exploits of a team of successful bank robbers led by Idris Elba Gordon. They are very well organized and methodical which keep them out of jail. Only days after a successful bank robbery the team is approached by a former member Ghost (T.I.) with the biggest score they've had yet. Fresh out of jail Ghost gives the team the layout and plan to pull the scheme off. The only issue is that it must happen in a few days. The team has a policy of only one heist a year. Will breaking this policy also break their success rate?
There was nothing truly unique about this story line. You can pretty much figure out Ghost's motives early on. The acting by Chris Brown and T.I. was stiff. It was almost distracting to hear them deliver their lines. Who wrote this script? Poor Chris had to deliver a line when he was speaking to his brother and said, "
but you don't seem jazzed." Jazzed, really? What young black guy talks like that?
Ultimately, thebest thing about this movie was it featured so many good looking men. I mean this movie had a guy for just about every type. The rough neck T.I., the intellectual Michael with those gorgeous eyes, the sexy British Idris in his underwear, yep, there was def. eye candy for all.
In the end, the movie was o.k. but I wish I hadn't paid full price.
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Flickan som lekte med elden (2009)
...and the hits just keep on coming
Lisbeth Salander returns in the next installment of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. In this story we find the Millennium magazine being introduced to their new cover story, the underground sex trade and organized crime by new member, Dag. He and his girlfriend have investigated prominent leaders of the community that are engaging in an illegal prostitution ring.
When Dag, his girlfriend and Lisbeth's guardian are all found dead, police believe Lisbeth is the prime suspect. She returns after a year and half abroad to find her face plastered on wanted posters and implicated in three deaths. Mikael convinced of her innocence begins a journey to find Lisbeth before the police do and unearth proof that will exonerate her.
Larsson takes us on another trip through the seedy underbelly of Sweden. In this story Lisbeth uses her noteworthy research skills to not only clear her name but settle some old scores as well. Just as in the first movie, there are flashbacks to Lisbeth's early years. As more of her story is revealed we learn more of her family and past.
The girl who plays with fire delivers a thrilling, sexy story that wets your appetite for the next chapter in Mikael and Lisbeth's lives. No wonder Hollywood is already on the move to make an American version.
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RED (2010)
A rip roarin' good time
A team of Ex- Intelligence operatives come out of retirement when they're lazy days are disturbed by pesky assassins. Led by Frank (Bruce Willis) the team marked RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) reorganizes to embark on one last mission.
It's interesting that all of the stars have at one point played an assassin in their acting career; Helen Mirren – Shadow Boxer, Bruce Willis – The Jackal, Morgan Freeman – Wanted and The Contract, John Malkovich – In the Line of Fire. Upon seeing the trailer I got a chuckle because those where the characters that came to mind. Granted those bad guys didn't ride off into to the sunset to live a happy retirement. But this is a cool premise to show that even though a person may not be 25 years old they can still be formidable adversaries.
All are now retired trying to live peaceful, relatively normal lives. But sometimes the past just doesn't go away. Frank must find out who is killing former operatives and why. With the help of Joe (Morgan Freeman) they follow the trail that leads them to smarmy arms dealer Alexander Dunning (Richard Dreyfuss). Wow, when was the last time Richard Dreyfuss was in a movie? With Hollywood being so youth driven, it's nice to see some older folks taking center stage. It's not every day that you see the over 50 crowd shooting guns and blowing up stuff. This movie was so fun. The quirky characters are a scream. Seeing Helen Mirren, the queen for goodness sake, shooting a gun so gigantic that it may as well have been a cannon was worth the ticket price alone.
John Malkovich's paranoia keeps the audience chuckling with his crazy eyes and mannerisms. His scene at the ship yards highlights that he is still a bad ass. Mary Louise-Parker does a wonderful job as the wide-eyed ditzy love interest of Frank, Sara. Frank has been pretending not to receive his pension checks in order to talk with Sara, the customer service representative, on the phone. With his phone is probably bugged the bad guys know he likes her. So Frank "kidnaps" Sara for her own safety. Somehow these two seem a perfect fit; the customer service agent and retired spy/assassin. Yep, sounds right to me, haha.
In true action movie fashion we see that Bruce, the youngest of the team, has still got it in a scene when he goes one on one with Karl Urban. There's nothing like a little hand to hand combat. There is plenty of shattered glass, punches you can feel in the audience and broken bones.
The storyline was a little weak but it was enough to keep things moving. The idea is that the Vice President has ordered exterminations due to their involvement in an operation many years ago. Yeah whatever, the ultimate draw is watching these guys kill. In a nutshell, go see Red, enjoyable characters and premise. It's worth the dough.
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Conviction (2010)
Aptly named movie
Conviction is a movie driven by the love a sister has for her brother. In 1983 Kenny Waters (Sam Rockwell) is on trial for murder of a neighbor in small town Massachusetts. Kenny is no saint as the flashbacks through his life shows. No one believes that he did not commit this murder except his sister Betty Anne (Hillary Swank). We are shown their poverty stricken, unsupervised upbringing. They are two of nine children to a single mother. They grow up making mischief but leaning on each other.
Kenny drinks, commits petty crimes and sleeps with rather trashy women. So when a murder is committed in their small town he is pulled in as one of the usual suspects. He is soon released for lack of evidence. After being relentlessly pursued by a police officer that is sure is committed the crime, he is arrested two years later. Hearing testimony from his female acquaintances that claim he admitted to the crime he is found guilty and sentenced.
Betty Anne continues to believe that he is innocent and sets out to prove it. The only way she knows how is to become his council and represent him in court. So, this is where this "based on actual events" story is astounding. Betty Anne decides to get her GED (yes that's right she didn't graduate high school), bachelor's degree, apply and graduate from Law school, pass the bar and fight for her brother's freedom. WHAT! This is amazing the level of determination and belief this woman has for her brother.
As the years go by Betty Anne's marriage ends, her children grow up and she still continues to work, go to school and stay on the path that will one day release her brother. This movie truly highlights the strength and determination of a focused mind. It took 12 years but finally she gets her chance to fight for her brother when no one else would. Due to the current implementation of DNA evidence Betty Anne is able to defend her brother in a way that was not possible in 1983.
I won't tell you how it ends. The ending is not the greatest part of this story. The most compelling part is the sheer will of this woman to keep fighting even when all seemed lost. This is truly an incredible underdog movie worth your time.
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Devil (2010)
A good old fashioned scary movie
In Devil by M. Night Shyamalan the thrills happen in one confined space, a jammed elevator. The movie opens with the voice over of a mother's story told by her son of how the devil comes to earth. The description says the devil's arrival is always preceded by a suicide, which promptly occurs. The account goes on to say that the devil then is able to take on human form. This leads us to Five strangers entering a high rise elevator. In the immovable elevator the occupants start dying one by one as the security guards and police watch impotently.
Suspense builds as Detective Bowden (Chris Messina) tries to understand what is going on and who is killing the occupants of the elevator. Security guard Ramirez (Jacob Vargas) continues his mother's tale about the devil and submits to the detective that maybe he should consider that one of the people in the elevator is not what they seem.
This is a movie where a lot of blood, guts and gore are not needed. There's a bit of blood but nothing too bad. People being hung, impaled, stabbed or burned, but the audience is shown the aftermath not the actual occurrence. Devil gives you a bump in the night scare not a cut the girl in half scare.
The use of going to black was frightening. All you hear are bumps and thuds in the dark. It makes you want to scream. No one likes to be in the dark. This is just good old fashioned around the camp fire scary. Every time the lights went out you are left terrified wondering what you were going to see when the lights come back on. Your mind is racing who's going to be next and who is doing this? Devil is worth the full price of admission. It had startling visuals, a mystery, and a scary narrative.
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