Dani's Movie Picks

Ondine (2009)

2011-11-05T13:21:00.001-05:00

Wow, this movie is old. I know. It was made in 2009, and I was shocked to learn that, as I just caught wind of this film as a whole lotta patrons seemingly had, and it kept passing across our library desk. It caught my eye of course, as I love the Irish setting and fairy tale vibe in many other similar movies, (think Secret of Roan Inish, or Once.) It may have been out there for the last two years, but chances are you haven't seen it yet. I of course, recommend that you do!

   Colin Farrell is Syracuse, or Circus, as he is nicknamed for a wild past of drinking and making a fool of himself. He has a sweet, yet feisty daughter whom he loves and cares for deeply, all the more because of her fragile health due to kidney failure. We see a deep longing in Syracuse every time we see him with his daughter, as she lives with her mother; an ex-wife, and this is a source of ongoing strain among the three of them. Just as Syracuse has been sober for years, his ex-wife is still prone to late nights of carousing, and so he lives alone, in a shack by the sea once owned by his late mother.

Our story begins with Syracuse in his trawler, out fishing off the shore as is his trade, when he pulls up with his net a beautiful young woman, very confused and frightened.
After initially insisting she not be seen by anyone, and acting very skittish, she tells Syracuse her name is Ondine, and it becomes very clear that there is something very peculiar and otherworldly about this girl. Well played by Alicja Bachleda, Ondine is both innocent and very wise, charming Syracuse with her singing and not to mention her incredible sex appeal.

   Syracuse takes this mystery of the girl from the water to his daughter, Annie, who concludes she is a selkie. This theory weaves its own reality, and Ondine never confirms or denies the claim that she is no ordinary woman, but a seal who has lost her pelt and cannot return to the sea until she has lived with a man on land for 7 years.

   I think what I like best about this movie is the subtlety and uncertainty over exactly what the truth is. Much credit in this is due to director Neil Jordan, who always exhibits complete mastery over the atmosphere of his films, and whom I have been a fan of since Interview with the Vampire. Neil Jordan has woven the richness of a fairy tale romance with the drama of a modern day one, and the combination gets my thumbs up.

   Now if your ears are a bit slow to tune to the frequency of a sing-songy Cork accent, this film may need some subtitles from your DVD player. It's rated PG-13 for sexuality and strong language, but mature children could, in my opinion, enjoy this film alongide adults. The end of this movie is a happy one, though there are some dark twists right before it! I hope you'll seek it out and find it as pleasant a surprise as I did.

8/10 - Dani

The Help (2011)

2011-08-27T12:46:00.001-05:00

It was just two weeks ago that I was treating my girlfriend to a just her-and-I bachelorette party, when our plans for a girly camp out were rained on and we decided to see a movie instead. Our choices were fairly slim when it came to "chick flicks" though luckily I was able to convince her to see The Help with me due to all the raves I was hearing about the book by Kathryn Stockett.

I was relieved and very thrilled to discover that our girls night out did not end with a bad movie! I really adored this film, and was happy to hear that my friend did too.

Set in the 1960s the film splendidly captures the modernism of that era, blending it in nicely with the antebellum charm and history of Jackson, Mississippi. Muscle cars tear along hot, dusty roads leading to gorgeous mansions that I could not help but salivate over just a bit. Both the music and the costumes utterly transport you to that bygone time.

But this isn't just a time when ladies dressed better and had better manners; this is also a time when their children are raised by black maids and their prim and proper lifestyle is maintained by underpaid, overworked women who struggle daily with the challenges of discrimination and segregation as imposed by the Jim Crow laws of the time.

Skeeter, our main character played by Emma Stone, is an unmarried and unconventional southern belle who has just returned home from college with aspirations to become a writer. Her friends are more interested in starting families, playing cards, and being involved in high society functions, such as Hilly Holbrook, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Hilly is my favorite character. She is stuck-up, narrow minded and completely prejudiced against her black servants. Not very admirable, but she plays this role superbly! By the film's middle, you are gritting your teeth in frustration with her, but by the end you are just chuckling.

This wild turn of events and about-face with Hilly is brought about by an idea of Skeeter's. Fascinated by the lives of the help (the term most of the ladies use when referring to their maids), and still clinging to fond memories of her childhood friend, and family's maid, Constantine; Skeeter proposes she interview her best friend's maid, Aibileen. This of course violates the strict segregation laws that separate black from white, and there is of course, a bit of backlash. At first the questions are only related to Skeeter's job as a housekeeping column writer at a newspaper office, but slowly enough of a rapport is built between them along with the mutual respect needed for Aibileen to open up about what is is really like to be her. And thus Skeeter begins to write: The Help.

Playing Aibileen is Viola Davis, and her performance is simply wonderful. Even better in my opinion, though, is Octavia Spencer as Minnie. As the second maid to tell her story to Skeeter, Minnie is fiery, and perhaps even a bit stereotypical in her strong, opinionated ways. But she's a great comedic element to the film, either when paired with Hilly Holbrook, her old employer, or her new one, Celia Foote, played by Jessica Chastain.

All of the characters in this movie are simply amazing. It's not often that so many of the roles are played as deeply or as honestly as all of the women in this one are. That being said; male characters are few and far between, so this movie may not be the best date movie, or flick to recommend to your guy friends! Go with a good girlfriend as I did, or wait until it comes to DVD and you get a chance to spend a quite evening home alone - just you, The Help and nice buttery bowl of popcorn. This is a movie that will leave you feeling good, so watch it accordingly.

It's rated PG-13 and is very easy to watch despite some language and intense scenes involving the poor treatment of blacks. I very much enjoyed the film, and recommend seeing it. Read the book first if you like, of course!

9/10 - Dani

The King's Speech (2010)

2011-05-24T18:42:00.000-05:00

The King's Speech was Oscar winner for Best Picture at the Oscars's this year, and so of course I was wild to see it. Rated PG-13 (The original, unedited version is R for some language) and directed by Tom Hooper, its story explores the drama of a reluctant royal overcoming his speech impediment to step up when he was needed by his country, leading them through the uncertain times that came with Britain's entrance into World War II.

This film is enthrallingly crafted, from the attention to period details to the amazing depth of its actors. Colin Firth plays Albert, the Duke of York, who later ascends to become King George VI, while Helena Bonham Carter plays his wife, Elizabeth. Keep in mind the family tree of the royal family now; these are Queen Elizabeth II's parents! There was also a royal wedding recently, as you may be aware, and so these would be Prince William's great grandparents... just to add that perspective.

In the movie we see glimpses of a young little Elizabeth and her sister, Margaret. This, and the situation surrounding Edward, Albert's elder brother is fascinating to me. Edward actually became king after the death of their father in 1936, but due to his love and devotion to American socialite Wallis Simpson, he was forced to abdicate when he proposed marriage to her, as the Church of England did not allow divorced persons to remarry if their ex-spouses were still alive. Wallis Simpson had not divorced once, but twice, and was deemed unsuitable in many ways to rule at Edward's side. This really puts a spotlight on how the modern royal family has changed, but of course, Albert, Duke of York, would never have become King George VI, and the royal family would not be what they are today without the abdication of Edward in that history changing crisis.

In the movie, "Bertie" (as Albert is nick-named) is desperate to treat his stammering to better perform his public speaking, and his wife finds speech therapist Lionel Logue, played by Geoffrey Rush, hoping he can help. No ordinary doctor, Logue pushes the limits of Bertie's patience and frequently forces him outside of his comfort zone. With humor, honest opinions, and a no-nonsense approach to treatment, the pair form an unlikely friendship, both treating the other as an equal, despite one first being a duke, and later a king, and the other a modest commoner. This, fascinatingly enough, is all true to reality, and as stated at the end of the film, Lionel Logue was awarded for his personal service to the king, and they remained friends for life.

This movie can be enjoyed by a wide audience. It contains nothing particularly inappropriate, though has much that only a mature child or adult may understand completely. As I mentioned, the original rated R version had some profanity, but there is a PG-13 version, as that is easily edited out. Most people who enjoy an engrossing drama, great acting, fabulous writing, or just want to see what all the fuss was about on Oscar night will enjoy this film. I can't think of much to fault it on! Tell me if you agree!

10/10

-Dani

The Social Network (2010)

2011-05-05T16:14:00.000-05:00

I was actually a very prompt movie picker when I first saw this film, as it had at that time just been released to theatres, and I was excited to write about a film made about the beginnings of the social media monster we all know as Facebook. Love it, or hate it, no one can deny the importance of our connections through the site, and how it has changed our lives, and even world events. Whether this is for better, or not, remains to be seen.

After seeing it again, now on DVD, I was reminded all over again how much I really love this film, and though at first unsure whether it would withstand the test of time, I'm of the opinion now that thanks to its Oscar attention and the timelessness of its themes, it will remain an interesting story, and a beautiful film to watch.

Directed by David Fincher and starring Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, he plays the character as cold, quick witted, and utterly brilliant. As such, he really isn't all that likeable, and we flinch as we watch him alienate his friends and fall into the trap of his ambitions. But with such flaws and by making such mistakes, he is relatable, and we sympathize.

Andrew Garfield, as Mark's friend, Eduardo, is probably my favorite character. His style is interesting to me and very indicitive of the Harvard Economics student who co-founded Facebook with Mark. Compared to Mark's sandaled feet and messy hair sticking out his hoodie, Eduardo is always put together and looking his best. He strikes us from the start as the best sort of friend to have, and also one that Mark in particular needs, as he seems to have quite few due to his prickly personality.

Second on my favorite characters list is Justin Timberlake as Napster founder, Sean Parker. He is a breath of fresh air midway through the film, and really turns the film from its snide and dreary mood to one of movement. Things are never the same after Sean Parker's arrival. I love the intensity of the clash between his fresh ideas, Mark's growing greed, and Eduardo's slipping grip on the runaway idea which began in their Harvard dorm room, but would take them to California "where it's all happening", to their own office with investors backing Facebook and putting them on the fast track to being billionaires, and lastly to some ugly pre-trial hearings.

That being said, this film is a bit lacking when it comes to its female characters having similar depth. This seems to be a repetitive problem for David Fincher, as Fight Club, and Se7en both focus on male lead characters with women only playing back-up. Though women in general (or should I say, dating them!) had a major influence on Facebook's founding, these girls remain accessories to the men in the film, and not real characters. Some would even go so far as to call their portrayal sexist. I think it's just more of a guy film.

It's also a little off on its facts, from what I hear. The biggest mistake, according to Mark Zuckerberg himself, being that movie-makers "can't wrap their head around the idea that someone might build something because they like building things." - As opposed to doing it as revenge on a girl he failed miserably at dating.

Facebook has more than 350 million active users, and is the second ranked site in the US, behind only Google. Mark Zuckerberg, aged only 25, is considered the world's youngest billionaire, with Facebook estimated now to be worth $33 billion. He didn't really invent anything that was very new, but he did improve what social networking could be, and he describes his contribution as more of a utility in people's lives, than just a website. In a way, though, this film isn't really about any of that. It's about wanting friends, as we all do, but ignoring the ones you have, and the effects, both positive, and negative, of taking a genius idea and actually making money with it. In this we have a triumph and a tragedy.

8/10

-Dani

Black Swan (2010)

2011-04-08T13:29:00.000-05:00

Many apologies for the long absense, blog readers! I have definitely been kept on my toes with real work lately, but at last I find a spare moment to share with you a nice little movie I have seen lately. Well, alright, it is not particulary "nice" in the classic definition. This movie is a thriller, or perhaps a mystery? It's hard to classify! You just must know from the start that it is dark.

Natalie Portman is amazing as Nina; a sensitive and perfection-driven dancer for a New York ballet company, living with her oppresive mother and dreaming of one day landing a big role. She gets her chance when director Thomas Leroy played by Vincent Cassel casts her as the Swan Queen in his creative re-telling of the timeless Swan Lake. There is a catch, though. Nina must master not only the grace and innocence of the Swan Queen, but the evil and sensuous Black Swan, who at times her director deems is more appropriately suited to Nina's fellow dancer, Lily, played by Mila Kunis.

A rivalry is born because of this, and we see the two of them striving against one another for the same goal, each reflecting the other's differences, and yet at one point managing to break through the scorn that divides them into a twisted friendship, where Nina learns from Lily how to embrace her inner dark side; consequently opening a door to insanity that cannot again be closed.

This was probably my favorite part of the movie. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis are fascinating to watch, the one very proper and polite, yet yearning for an escape from her constricted life, while the other loves the wild life, laughing at risk and assuring those around her laugh too. She actually may have impressed me a bit more than Natalie, (who won the Oscar for Best Actress), due to the contrast of other things she has done, including "That 70s Show" where she played Jackie. I was always wondering what her character of Lily would do next, and at times even wondering if she real - or just a projection of Nina's unhinged mind!

This film was stark and visceral in its style, and I for the most part, loved it. I think the theme that best sums this film up would be: obsession. That said, this film was not scary to me. I really was hoping for more horror elements, but what it contains is more mysterious than spooky. There are many tricks of the camera and mirror-play which morph the characters of Nina and Lily, leading you as a viewer along on a roller coaster ride of dizzying confusion... which isn't entirely pleasant.

Due to drug use, profanity and some graphic sexual scenes, this film is rated-R. Even I must admit that the squeamish and easily offended viewer need not consider watching some of them! You can find a description of some details here, if you don't mind spoilers:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947798/parentalguide

It had a limited budget which did not even afford the production to hire a medic for the set. Natalie Portman had had ballet instruction as a child, but was injured both by twisting a rib, and also sustaining a cuncussion from hitting her head. She lost 20 pounds to play the character of the petite ballerina, but doubles were used for most of the full-body shots. Pregnant when she accepted her Best Actress Award at the Oscars, she actually met her fiance on the set of "Black Swan" and danced with him as her partner in a few scenes. Sometimes the stories behind the art are just as interesting as it is!

Overall, this movie was good, but not great. I must admit that my expectations were fairly high after waiting as long as I did to see it on DVD, and afterward watching the Oscars. My experience with it was not unlike "La Vie En Rose" which won Marion Cotillard the Oscar for Best Actress in 2007, but failed to impress me as a whole and entire film.

I would rate "Black Swan" with a 7/10. What did you think?

Inception (2010)

2010-07-17T11:26:00.042-05:00

It's a fact that dream analysis and interpretation has fascinated people for centuries. The purpose of dreams and the meanings behind them have been thoroughly studied, researched, and recorded throughout history--from the Bible to Stephen King. Yet, there is still little explanation for what causes dreams and what they signify. It's a fact that dreams are still not fully understood.

It's my opinion that a movie such as Inception appeals to so great an audience because it takes the ancient and mysterious concept of a dream and puts a new spin on it. In the world of Inception, dreams are understood, and can be manipulated using futuristic technology. Realistic worlds can be designed and a person within the dream is free as they cannot be in reality. This opens up new possibilities for mankind, but also invites a new age of crime and corruption.

Sound familiar? This reminds me a bit of the dawn of the internet; new and effortless means of communication making our lives easier, but at what cost? The internet has also brought us cyber crime and super hackers. Thus, mankind's manipulation of dreams opened the door to those with dark motives in this film.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Dominic Cobb in Inception, an Extractor who works for whomever will pay him top dollar to steal secrets from people's subconscious minds as they dream. He must tread carefully on his missions, however, for not only does the subconscious of his victim fight to protect what he is seeking, but with increasing unpredictability Marion Cotillard (Mal) shows up to distract him, despite the fact that she has been dead for some years.

As the film matures from its tangled beginnings, where we, the viewer have begun to wonder if we are ever going to understand what is going on, Cobb receives an offer from Ken Watanabe (Saito), which he accepts in the hope that it will be his final job. Saito's desire is for his corporate rival (Killian Murphy as Robert Fischer) to abandon his business, thus allowing Saito's own to become a super power. Through a meticulously crafted plan, Cobb and his group of accomplices (Ellen Page as Ariadne, Joseph Gorden-Levitt as Arthur, Tom Hardy as Eames, and Dileep Rao as Yusef) plot to trick Fischer in his dream world into thinking his late father did not wish for him to continue with the business. The planting of this idea becomes known as Inception.

This film contains exotic locales, thrilling chase and fight sequences, surreal imagery and clever ideas uncommon in the usual summer blockbuster. At this film's heart there is also true emotion, and the inner struggle Cobb faces with his grief and guilt over Mal's death, both very nearly keeping reality from his grasp, even as he delves deeper and deeper into the dangerous nature of his work.

Rated PG-13, this film is not for small children, but can be enjoyed by mature young adults able to handle its violence and dark subject matter.

See Inception on the big screen if you see anything this summer; it has all of the mind-blowing special effects and breathless action to keep you on the edge of your seat, but also the depth and complexity of plot to exercise your mind while you sit munching that popcorn. It took director and writer Christopher Nolan 7 years to bring us this gem of a movie, so enjoy! It's an amazing experience, and gives us so many things to weigh and consider at its end.

"What's the most resilient parasite? An Idea. A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules." ~ Dominic Cobb

I truly hope Inception gives a great many people some new ideas about how modern films can and should be made. This one is pure brilliance.

Our overall rating: 10/10

- Dani and Lindsay

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

2010-06-01T15:11:00.011-05:00

This movie was definitely not what I anticipated, but then again, I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting. Weirdness? Yes. And Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland includes weird aspects and strange encounters without a doubt. A remake of the family-friendly animated Disney classic? Perhaps. And while this film does contain some elements similar to those seen in Disney's 1951 animated classic, Tim Burton expands on those previous childlike themes. A combination of both Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass? No. But this film was based on and incorporated characteristics of both stories.

Instead of portraying Alice as a young girl which audiences are generally more familiar with, Alice is now a 19-year-old young woman. While attending a party, she is unexpectedly proposed to by a wealthy aristocrat. Needing a minute to ponder over her decision, she runs away and stumbles into a rabbit hole where once again she is transported to Wonderland. Although she has no memory of her previous visit, inhabitants of Wonderland have been waiting for her return to help them overthrow the Red Queen, who has driven Wonderland to despair.

A mixture of themes, characters, and events from both Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are seen throughout the film, which, in my opinion, made it difficult to follow at times. For example, The Jabberwocky is only present in Through the Looking Glass, as are Tweedledee, Tweedledum, and the White Queen. The Queen of Hearts and the Red Queen are used interchangeably throughout the film along with their deck of cards and chess motifs, even though they are two separate Queens in two separate stories. The confusion of combining the two left me frustrated.

I thoroughly enjoy Johnny Depp's portrayal of The Mad Hatter, however. I noticed that a handful of his past characters seemed to emerge through The Mad Hatter's mannerisms, including Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands, and Sweeney Todd. Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway were also notable as the Red and White Queens, and Mia Wasikowska's portrayal of Alice was also enjoyable.

Overall, the movie moved along quite quickly, and it seemed just the right length. I also loved Alice's different costumes throughout the film as she changed heights..

I feel that the audience market for this movie is tough to hit, and I'm not quite sure of the age of the intended audience. Even though the film is only rated PG, there are still gory images and scenes that might be disturbing for young children. On the other hand, some scenes felt slightly repetitive and childlike, which may be somewhat of a bore for adults. I certainly found the film interesting. Not amazing, but definitely entertaining.

My overall rating: 6.5/10

-Lindsay

The Road (2009)

2010-05-25T17:45:00.006-05:00

My apologies first and foremost to our faithful blog readers who have told me they miss our movie picks! From what I hear, Lindsay has been unable to remove her nose from her college textbooks until recently, and I have been planning my 6/5 wedding. I thought though, that I just had far too many opinions of the movie I saw last night to keep all of them to myself!

"The Road" is based on a book by author, Cormac McCarthy. I enjoyed the film "No Country For Old Men", and was looking so forward to seeing Viggo Mortensen, as I am a Lord of the Rings fan! He did not disappoint me, and neither did the boy they cast as his co star.

At first I was a little lost at the film's beginning, as I thought I may have missed something due to the fact that they opened the movie up with a post-apocolyptic setting and no explanation as to how things got that way. We were also struggling to make out the scenes due to our TV's brightness having been dimmed down a little far, and though we had never noticed this to be a problem with any other movie, we realized that "The Road" was no average movie. Needless to say, we had to dial the brightness meter up a bit!

It is dark, both visually and emotionally. It is a quiet movie, with much of the storytelling accomplished through long scenes of our only characters wandering among destruction and a landscape that is gray and bleak. It reminded me a bit of Hayao Miyazaki's animated "Grave of the Fireflies" and also "Legend" starring Will Smith. There is also a foreboding danger to the film, and I found my face nearly touching the TV screen in suspense and dread over the well being of Viggo's character and his character's son! It was truly impossible to not care about them.

The perils they face include the collapse of trees that stand dead from whatever catastrophe laid waste to the country, the constant threat of starvation, and also the threat of the other human survivors who are trying to stave off their own starvation by hunting and killing their fellow men. It is not a film made to portray the end of civilization, but rather of civility. How can we not be reminded of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath by this, or of the recent disaster in Haiti? Of course the death and destruction is tragic, but is it not more tragic to see people prey upon each other and resort to the desperation of basic survival? This, in essense is what the film is about. We are there to watch Viggo's character fight that temptation, for the sake of his own faith in humanity and for the sake of his young son, who he regards as a god-like presense in his life, constantly inspiring him to have hope.

This is not a light film, but it has a surprisingly sweet ending. If you can make it that far without feeling too distressed by the peril, I hope you can agree that it is a film worth seeing. We could all use a dose of deep thought here and there!

Dani

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

2010-01-10T22:02:00.003-06:00

I confess, I actually saw this movie twice in theaters--I thought it was THAT good.

Just when we think Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes has faded away, being over 20 years since his last U.S. theatrical appearance, the famous detective emerges again in Guy Ritchie's brand-new, original Holmes adventure.

At the start of the film, Holmes and his newly-engaged companion Dr. Watson have successfully closed another case--the "sorcerer" Lord Blackwood has been caught and punished for using his mysterious dark power in an attempt to rule London--or so they think. When Lord Blackwood mysteriously returns and continues his killing spree, Holmes and Watson are back on the case in an endeavor to track down Lord Blackwood and prevent his disastrous scheme from threatening all of England.

While this particular story is not much of a "whodunit," but more of a "howdunit," the excitement of unraveling the mysteries surrounding Lord Blackwood still manages to be thrilling. The plot is fast-paced and suspenseful, but not difficult to follow. The flashbacks throughout the movie recap important events and people, and make it incredibly easy to understand the story.

I felt the acting was outstanding--all of the actors played their part immensely well, and Robert Downey Jr. was especially true to the character of Holmes, including the side that is often not portrayed, right down to his violin-plucking and drug-use. While many picture Holmes more along the lines of a serious gentleman, Downey's interpretation of a more rough, yet still sharp and clever Holmes is an enjoyable and interesting approach to this character. Other characters that are found in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's adventures also reappear in this film, including Dr. Watson (Jude Law), Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly), and even Holmes' arch nemesis, Professor Moriarty. All of these supporting characters were portrayed extremely well, and the relationship between Holmes and Dr. Watson as a hilarious "bromance" provides comic relief throughout the entire film.

This PG-13 film is reasonably family-friendly, save for some violence and a few scary images. The period setting, fast-paced plot, and superb acting provide a wonderfully entertaining movie experience. I definitely recommend seeing this film. I know I will be watching it a few more times as I wait for the possible sequel.

-Lindsay

Avatar (2009)

2009-12-22T17:51:00.008-06:00

My hope is that everyone is not only lucky enough to see this film, but to see it in theatres, so that it may be experienced to its full and amazing extent. I know you have heard the hype about Avatar; James Cameron's epic undertaking (he only spent 300 million making it!), but trust me when I say that all the hype and all the rumors about its innovative CGI and revolutionary special effects will not let you down! We, as film-goers really have no reference for what we see in this movie, and I know it will leave you imagining what the future has in store for cinema, just as it did me.

This film's plot is a very basic, and primordial one, focused on only two characters despite a rather large cast. Jake Sully is a wheel-chair bound marine who receives an offer from the government to take up his twin brother's place as a researcher on the planet of Pandora after his brother's sudden death. Pandora holds many mysteries, but much wealth is to be had from it as well, so there are conflicts between those who want to learn from the planet, and those who want to exploit its resources.

A race of native humanoids called the Na'vi dwell in the forests of Pandora, and are thought of as dangerous savages by nearly all the humans who have come to Pandora. Those who have come to study and learn the scientific secrets of the planet, however, venture out of their safe havens with Avatars. These Avatars look like the native Na'vi, and Jake Sully's brother was to have one of his own. Now the Avatar is Jake's, and despite his inexperience and fear of Pandora's dangers, he is thrilled to be free of his wheelchair and able to walk once more.

Neytiri is the daughter of one of the Na'vi clan's chiefs. She is blue skinned, has cat-like eyes, and wears her dark hair dreadlocked like the rest of her people. She also reflects her people's resentment of the humans when she meets Jake, though he counters that with an admiration for her, and an ever-increasing sympathy for her people and their values. The peaceful lives they live in harmony with their planet have great appeal to Jake, and he eventually begins to realize that he too cares about what the Na'vi are fighting to protect. In addition, he has fallen in love with Neytiri, and she with him despite all their differences.

I must say, that at this point, the story will remind you, as it did me, of many other similar movies. You may be thinking Dances With Wolves, but first to pop into my mind is Princess Mononoke, which also contains the environmental themes. James Cameron himself has pointed out the "green" message, just as Hayao Miyazaki pointed his out twelve years ago in Princess Mononoke. Please follow this link to read more on the subliminal undertones of Avatar:
http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/hmg-avatar-hidden-messages.html

So now on to things I didn't like so well about the film! I will not describe the end here, as I know I have probably gushed way too many spoilers as is, but I will say that I did not care for it much, and that it was predictable. I also would have enjoyed more of a back story with the human characters, such as an explanation for why Jake Sully so easily gave up his earthly life in favor of fighting against his own people and betraying all they had done for him. His heart over head thinking was a little beyond belief for me there.

Avatar is rated PG-13 and is a whopping 162 minute film, which I know is longish for some, but it did not bother me. I would gladly have sat through another half hour if that time could have fleshed out those characters that Cameron put on screen just long enough to interest me, but not allow me to really know them. This though, is obviously minor, and is a testament to how wonderful his characters really are. Noteworthy performances come from Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine, and also from Giovanni Ribisi and Michelle Rodriguez. All in all, this film is a work of art and an astounding contribution to cinema.

- Dani

The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

2009-11-17T14:22:00.010-06:00

Based on a book of the same name by Jon Ronson, this film is enormously entertaining and yet also based on fact! Keep that in mind as you watch it.

Ewan McGregor is our narrator and guide into the journey of this film, which basically starts out when his wife leaves him and he decides to go to Iraq to cover the war as a journalist. While there he meets Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), who claims to be a member of the Army's First Earth Battalion, an elite and covert group trained to use the powers of their mind in warfare. With much dead-pan seriousness Lyn refers to himself as a Jedi, and the irony is not lost on the fact that Ewan McGregor also played Obi-Wan in the Star Wars prequels.

The story progresses with Bob Wilton (McGregor) following Lyn on a mission that he says he is on, while along the way Lyn entertains Bob's curiosity about the First Earth Battalion which we as as an audience see as flashbacks involving Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) and his hippie-esque ideals that produced his zany training methods and his group of remote viewers, a.k.a. psychic spies, a.k.a Jedi Knights.

The confidence that Clooney's character has in his supposed super powers, and his many deceptive attempts to prove that he has them, is in my opinion, one of the funniest things in the film. McGregor's character counters Clooney's enthusiasm with concern about their journey, and by fretting over whether or not his traveling partner is completely nuts. The dynamic was great, and the two of them kept me laughing even when their joke was long over. But, then again, I am a fan of Clooney's comedy, and especially of O Brother Where Art Thou, and Burn After Reading. It honestly doesn't get much better for me than those two bundles of comedic joy.

With that said, this movie may not be quite so hilarious to another as it was to me. To enjoy it, one cannot expect some sort of commentary out of its Iraq War subject matter, and one cannot think too much about where the story is heading. All you need to do as an audience member is enjoy the ride! If you do indeed get to the end of this film without seeing the humor, then first of all, I pity you, and second of all... it's based on fact! That in and of itself is the biggest joke in the film.

Here's my watered down rendition of the facts: Due to the U.S. learning that other countries were experimenting with ESP and psychic research to be used in warfare, our government actually funded many such projects throughout the WWII years until the 1990s when the projects were terminated due to lack of results and value to the intelligence community. One of their objectives was remote viewing, wherein the link to the film lies.

All in all, this R-rated flick directed by Grant Heslov is a good film overall, but not great. The disjointed story style was fine with me, but it may irk others. Drug refrences were plentiful, and the bit of brief nudity we see seems to exist only for the sake of an easy laugh. I plan on reading the book when I can so that I may look further into the differences between it and the film, and between the book and the government's actual dealings with psychic research and LSD-induced mind control. It's a fascinating part of our nation's history (if you're as interested in all things bizarre as I am), and I hope that watching The Men Who Stare at Goats will not only give you a chuckle, but will open your eyes up a little wider to the fact that truth is often stranger than fiction! And by strange, I mean really strange!

-Dani

Adventureland (2009)

2009-11-08T15:27:00.003-06:00

With the winter months quickly approaching, it’s nice to sit back and reminisce on those summer days that have faded to distant memories. Adventureland, a new teenage film from the director of Superbad, is the perfect movie to remind us that warm weather, vacations, and carnivals are only seven months away!

At his celebration dinner, recent 1987 college grad James Brennan receives two blows from his parents: due to his father’s demotion, James must cancel his European summer vacation AND pay his way through graduate school at Columbia University. In desperate need of cash, James is forced to find a summer job. Having no previous job experience, the only place that will hire him is the tacky theme park, Adventureland. There, he befriends an array of coworkers, and falls in love with the complicated Em Lewin, who is struggling with family and emotional problems of her own.

While Adventureland was marketed as humorous, this is definitely not a light film, and much more characteristic of a dark romantic comedy. The characters are complex, and in the midst of dealing with their emergence into adulthood, experiment with drugs, sex, and alcohol. Outstanding performances are given by Jesse Eisenberg (James), Kristen Stewart (Em), and Ryan Reynolds, among others.

Interestingly, the film is set to an 80’s soundtrack, and reminded me a great deal of the movie Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Jesse Eisenberg also oddly resembles Michael Cera, in both his behavior and looks. Eisenberg’s portrayal of James is also similar to the geeky-awkward characters Michael Cera characteristically plays.

Although I enjoyed the first half of the movie, especially the setting of the corrupt amusement park, the second half seemed to fizzle out. Overall, the film resembles a bit of a cliched "coming-of-age" story. Yet, it's worth seeing if you enjoyed films such as Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Juno.

-Lindsay

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

2009-10-20T17:15:00.009-05:00

There are only so many ways that people can still be transported to fantasy worlds in a manner that we have not seen a billion times before, and still remain on board with the story. My examples: Dorothy and her tornado. Alice and that rabbit hole. Peter Pan and those lucky children he feels inclined to teach how to fly. Those means of travel are classic, and have been, at least to me, completely believable. Max (played by Max Records in the movie) and his journey fits right in with these timeless characters and lessons learned from imaginary lands.

Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are storybook was never really a staple of my bedtime hour during childhood, but I of course was aware of Max and his adventures in the book. I love how this new live-action re-telling of the story relies upon this classic tale of escape from ordinary life (in Max's case, a life filled with discipline for his wild ways), and fleshes out the basic premise in ways that you probably won't expect, but are refreshing to see.

This is a dark children's film, there is no doubt. It is rated PG, but contains much angst at the outset from 9 year old Max who is struggling to deal with a sister who is growing too old to play with him, a mom who has a new boyfriend and a father who is not present in the film, but whose absence is actually a driving force to Max's frustration and unbridled actions. This film will take you back as you watch it, to moments during your own childhood when you felt as Max feels in the opening scenes. It will remind you that yes, childhood contains simple joys, but there are also fears that we in our adulthood have long ago overcome.

Children, more so than adults will always say what they are thinking, and behave more in accordance with the whims of their feelings. This is what the Wild Things in the film are crafted to symbolically represent. Before Max escapes to the world of the Wild Things, his mother tells him: "You're out of control!" which haunts him for the rest of the film and makes him worry that he may not be a good person.

In the world of the Wild Things, Max meets Carol. Carol becomes a sort of friend to Max there, but even that seems to present its own dangers. Carol struck me as being symbolic of Max's uncontrolled emotions. When Max becomes king of the Wild Things, it is like he has let go of all restraint and lives only to do as he feels. Eventually, though, the Wild Things prove too wild for Max, and he finds himself the one yelling "You're out of control!" to them.

I highly recommend this movie, even for children if they of school age and are mature enough to deal with some of the themes. Below you will find my link to the parents' guide on imdb.com concerning this movie. Read it and decide for yourself and your children if it is right for you!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386117/parentalguide

-Dani

Sin Nombre (2009)

2009-10-08T17:06:00.005-05:00

I really love having this blog when I come across films like this one. I do not believe it is one that many people have heard of, let alone seen. It was the winner of the New Director's Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and the winner of both the Cinematography and Directing Awards at the Sundance Film Festival. I couldn't agree more that it is deserving of these honors.

This is director, Cary Fukunagra's very first film, and though it is dark, dreary and violent, there is a hope to the film, and its theme is one of redemption.

Honduran teen Sayra is making the perilous journey through Mexico toward the United States with her father who shares her dream of a free life there. They move along the path of the illegal immigrant, fearing border patrol officers and riding on north-bound trains whose cars are topped by people we as Americans have been taught by our society to resent, but suddenly sympathize with when we see them onscreen.

We next meet Casper, a young Mexican gang member who appears to take this membership none too seriously, and finally faces a deciding moment in his life when his girlfriend, (whose importance he has been putting before his gang duties) is killed by his gang's leader. Filled afterwards with a hate for his gang, Casper steps in at the moment in the movie when he finally crosses paths with Sayra, and saves her from a grim fate, consequently ending his brotherhood with the gang by ending the life of their leader.

Afterwards, Casper and Sayra's journeys are forever intertwined and they struggle against the odds to evade the shadows of their past and the obstacles that stand between them and the border.

This movie is realistic in a documentary sort of way, but also fantastically epic in its setting and situations. Many aspects of it were reminiscent to me of Slumdog Millionaire, such as the fairy tale vibe with a modern day setting. Please, though, do not get the wrong impression from me about this film when I say "fairy tale vibe". This is no Disney movie, and is rated R for its violence and sexual situations. I think of fairy tales as being stories that have the meat stripped off the bones until they are solid lessons on our morality. I really love the simplicity of that, and the strength of the archetype characters that remain. This film has that quality, and I highly recommend that you see it for yourself to understand fully what I mean. It is mythic, but also disturbingly true to life. I loved it.

- Dani

Knowing (2009)

2009-08-29T11:43:00.007-05:00

While disaster flicks such as Deep Impact, Armageddon, and Signs have been done many times before, Knowing is a fresh take on the usual sci-fi catastrophic film.

The film begins in 1959, with the opening of a new elementary school. In celebration of its opening, the school decides to bury a time capsule containing the student’s drawings of what they believe the future will look like in the year 2009. A somewhat strange and recluse student by the name of Lucinda doesn’t draw a picture, however. Instead, she begins to furiously scribble numbers on her piece of paper, but is prevented from finishing. During the ceremonial burial of the time capsule, Lucinda goes missing. Her teacher later finds her in the basement gym closet, carving the remaining numbers into the door with her fingernails.

Fifty years later, the time capsule is opened by the school, and each child is given one of the past student’s drawings. Caleb Koestler is given Lucinda’s image of seemingly random numbers, and brings it home to his father, John Koestler (played by Nicholas Cage), a professor and astrophysicist at the local college. At first, John ignores the numbers. But at closer inspection, he discovers that they catalogue the date, fatalities, and location of every major disaster that has happened in the last 50 years. John’s attempt to find Lucinda and speak with her about the numbers fails when he discovers that she has passed away, but instead locates Lucinda’s daughter Diana Whelan, raising her own daughter Abby. Both children, Abby and Caleb, bond over hearing voices speak to them, and discover that mysterious figures are following them around whom they call the “whisper people.” With three disastrous dates still yet to occur, John is determined to stop the events from taking place before they happen first.

The plot of this movie definitely drew me in. I was constantly intrigued throughout the entire film as well as entertained. The crash sequences that also took place were well done and realistic-looking, and the special effects were great. The ending also surprised me, since I could not foresee that particular twist.

The film also consists of many religious undertones. While I would not consider this to be a religious movie, the strange “whisper people” that play a somewhat main role throughout the entire film could be arguably perceived as angels or aliens, depending on which direction you want to take. There were many references to religion throughout the movie, including John Koestler’s father being a pastor, the Noah’s Ark-type situation with the children near the very end of the film, and the Eden symbolism including the image of the Tree of Knowledge also seen at the very end.

On the other end of the spectrum, the “whisper people” could be perceived as aliens. If this is the case, the movie could be hinting towards the realization that all throughout time, we have confused the presence and ideas of “angels” and other forms of higher beings with “aliens”, when they in truth have been aliens all along.

The movie leaves this debate completely open and never fully reveals what exactly the “whisper people” are. I had very interesting discussions with friends who have also seen this movie about the meaning of the “whisper people.” Whether angels, aliens, strangers, or other hybrids, we as viewers can only speculate what we believe them to be.

While I do have some complaints regarding the movie, they are few and far between. One however would be the incredibly odd musical score. I didn’t feel like the classical music that played throughout the entire film fit in with the rest of the movie plot.

Without giving too much away, I would definitely recommend seeing this movie for yourself. It is an entertaining and suspenseful film that also leads to an interesting discussion.
-Lindsay

District 9 (2009)

2009-08-19T11:14:00.006-05:00

Moviegoers who are faint of heart: This one is not for you! Needless to say, though, I enjoyed District 9 greatly. It is rated R and contains graphic violence, disturbing situations, and foul profanity. It is also a strikingly realistic sci-fi film brought to us by director Neill Blomkamp and producer Peter Jackson, of whom I have been such a fan since Lord of the Rings.

I guess I was expecting to see some big budget version of Bad Taste; one of his earliest works in which aliens come to earth in an attempt to harvest humans for the menu of their intergalactic fast food chain, but what I saw instead was something unlike anything I could have ever imagined coming to an American movie screen.

The film is set in Johannesburg, South Africa, and establishes immediately that an alien mothership came and lost power above the city many years ago. Instead of being the advanced race from which humans will either learn from, or be destroyed by, the idea is put forth that perhaps aliens have problems too, and what would we as a people do if they needed help from us?

Out of the ship come some of the most pathetic aliens you will ever see. They are filthy and emaciated, bringing the residents of Johannesburg the challenge of setting these creatures up with food, and shelter in the form of a refugee camp that quickly degenerates into a slum.

20 years after the mothership first came to a halt above the city, the aliens are experiencing the corruption and racial hostility of their human saviors. Their camp, called District 9, segregates them in a way that reminds us of the apartheid in that country, and holds up a mirror to our fears of anyone or anything different from ourselves.

District 9 is a science fiction film, but it is also very applicable to our social issues and prejudices. Along with that, it is an action-packed and entertaining movie, not to mention the spectacular special effects.

I have hopes that someday it will be watched by our children (not before their teens, hopefully!) during some classic sci-fi marathon they have with films such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Star Wars (1977), and The Matrix (1999). District 9 has all of the elements it needs to stand the test of time as they have, and I hope that it does.

My only "Oh, pleeease!" moment came very near the end when it seemed to me they were departing with a cliffhanger and leaving the plot open for a sequel. It takes talent to tell a story with multiple movies, I know, but it is also a talent to tie up your tale into a neat 2-3 hour movie that I can watch in one sitting. In Hollywood nowadays, that seems to be an outdated idea. Example: Harry Potter movies.

Again I am resisting the urge to ramble on here, and will sum up with this - See District 9 for yourself! I highly recommend it.

-Dani

Public Enemies (2009)

2009-08-04T16:39:00.011-05:00

Based on the true and daring exploits of John Dillinger during the Great Depression, Public Enemies stars Johnny Depp and was directed by Michael Mann. There was much hype about this film... we heard all about their filming schedule from T.V. and saw distant glimpses of Johnny Depp on set in his 1930s duds caught by news cameras and aired during reports of local goings-on. They used many outdoor as well as indoor locations in the cities of Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Madison, and Beaver Dam (to name a few!) The whole state of Wisconsin, as well as the Midwest of this country where John Dillinger himself used to roam and ramble, was waiting with great anticipation for this film's release...

I saw it as a treat to myself on the day before my birthday and must say that I enjoyed watching it, but was a little disappointed by how much it reminded me of a mindless action movie.

One of the things that I thought was done well, was the Robin Hood vs. Sheriff of Nottingham situation that Johnny's Dillinger found himself in with Christian Bale's Melvin Pervis; FBI head honcho. The competition between the two seemed to be the main source of energy for the plot, and despite the fact we as an audience know the outcome to their little cat and mouse game, it keeps one biting their nails nonetheless.

Something I did not really expect was the love story that the film wove between Dillinger and Marion Cotillard's Billie Frechette; only one of his many real life romantic interests. This, I think, was one of the weakest elements to the film, and came across looking awkward and nonsensical as they tried very hard to portray the relationship as star-crossed love. The fact that Johnny Depp plays Dillinger behaving suave, and yet more than a little controlling and prone to violence even during his first encounters with Billie, leaves me wondering why she would fall for such a guy? I mean, if a guy came into your place of employment to ask you why you did not do exactly what he had told you to do on your first date with him, and then became so frustrated by your answer that he punched out one of your customers, wouldn't you be at least a little turned off? Well not Billie Frechette apparently. She even seemed to accept the fact that she was supposed to hang around and wait for her beau while he ran amok with his buddies playing shoot-em-up and driving fast, then getting thrown in jail with execution a sobering possibility.

When this movie started to play on our theatre's huge, ultra screen, I was overcome by the feeling that I had sat down in my seat mid-way through the show, instead of right before the previews as I had done in actuality. This I believe, is one of the main issues with the film. It could use a good dose of character establishment before we begin jumping into the action as we do with the film's beginning. Even as some of the gang members die at various points in the film, these deaths lack meaning, as we were never allowed to know their characters, or see the relationships that they had to fellow gang members.

One film that I saw many years ago and explored this territory well was The Newton Boys (1998), and needs to be seen by those that thought Public Enemies was too shallow and too obviously trying to cover their historical inaccuracies with noise and a ridiculous romance. Another film that is in the same vein, but done much better is The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007). Brad Pitt as Jesse James really gives you pause, so that you actually THINK about what is occurring on the screen, and you see history in a way that you never considered seeing it before.

My closing thoughts on Public Enemies, (it's so hard to stay focused on my blog subject here and not wander off into recommending better movies...) is that you really must be warned not to expect too much from this film. I know that it is Johnny Depp, but the role he took on here really does him no justice. I know that a good portion was filmed in Wisconsin, but let me assure you that this will never put us on the map due to Public Enemies becoming more classic than Casablanca. Accept Public Enemies for what it is; an action flick that is more fun than deep, and though parading as a historical drama, has gotten most of the facts mixed up without much gain from doing so. Bear in mind as well that this film is rated R.

- Dani

My Sister's Keeper (2009)

2009-07-17T14:21:00.003-05:00

I would like to start out by stating I really had no intention of ever seeing this film, or reading the book. I typically try to avoid sad, dramatic movies (and books) that tend to be emotionally draining, causing me to cry my way through most of it, and feel depressed long after it’s over. My Sister’s Keeper was no exception. Directed by Nick Cassavetes (He also directed The Notebook), the entire movie was that of archetypal “sick dramas”- sad and emotionally draining. I ended up seeing it only because my friend really, really wanted to.

However, I thought the movie was done very well. My Sister’s Keeper tells the story of the Fitzgerald family, and relays their individual struggles in dealing with Kate Fitzgerald’s leukemia. Parents Sara and Brian Fitzgerald make the decision to genetically engineer a child, Anna, who will be a direct donor match for 2-year-old Kate. From birth, Anna gives spare parts to her sister in order to keep her alive, such as blood and bone marrow. When Anna is 11 however, and her parents request that she donates one of her kidneys to Kate, Anna decides she’s had enough. Anna hires a lawyer and attempts to sue her parents for the rights to her own body—medical emancipation.

The acting is superb in this film. Abigail Breslin, who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Little Miss Sunshine, does an amazing job at portraying Anna and newcomer Sofia Vassilieva also gives a noteworthy performance as leukemia-stricken Kate. I’m sure we will be seeing more from this young actress in the future. The most surprising of all was Cameron Diaz. Playing the pragmatic mother trying to do everything possible in order to save her daughter, Cameron Diaz shows viewers that she is capable of doing more than her usual romantic comedies. This was the best performance I’ve ever seen her do.
All of the actors did an outstanding job of making you feel the heartache of the Fitzgerald family.

The flashbacks also worked very nicely with the film. Often the characters would be shown in the present time, and then the storyline would flashback to when the children were younger. I especially liked the flashbacks when Kate is looking through her scrapbook in the hospital. I thought the flashbacks added a lot to the movie, and were very easy to follow.

If you plan on seeing this movie, be prepared for a good cry. There are relatively no happy moments throughout the film, and very little humor. But the film moves along quite nicely, the 109 minutes didn’t seem long at all. My Sister’s Keeper is extremely touching, and succeeds at making you question why certain things happen in life, and the difficult choices we make along the way.

I’ve never read Jodi Picoult’s book by the same title, so I’m not able to give a comparison between the two, but if you enjoy the book, I’m sure the movie is worth checking out.

-Lindsay

Låt den rätte komma in A.K.A. Let The Right One In (2008)

2009-07-07T17:00:00.008-05:00

This little Swedish horror flick may not be something you have heard of, or have had the chance to see. I came across a review for it around Halloween-time of last year (when it was hitting theatres overseas), and had to wait, and wait and wait for it to come to DVD in the U.S. When I placed a hold for it in February through the SHARE system, I was not expecting to wait for another four months. 'This better be good,' I thought to myself when I finally pulled the DVD out of the transit bin. I must say that it actually was worth the long wait, and you may agree with me if:

A) You don't mind foreign fims (English dubbing was an option, but I personally prefer subtitles).
B) You don't mind an R rating for some blood and gore, nudity and swearing
C) You liked Pan's Labyrinth

This film was directed by Tomas Alfredson and its screenplay was written by the author of the book that the movie was based on. Bear with me as I try to explain this amazingly unique film...

Oskar is an awkward 12 year old living in a wintry 1980s suburb of Stockholm. He is bullied at school, and lives with his divorced mother in an apartment complex that includes a playground where no children ever seem to be playing. While out in the playground one day, Oskar meets Eli (pronounced Eeelee), who seems to be his own age and has just moved into the apartment next door to his.

There is an immediate attraction between the two, and we see that Oskar is drawn to his new neighbor out of curiosity toward her odd habits, such as her walking in the snow with bare feet, and out of admiration for her strength. Eli's advice for Oskar in terms of the school bullies? Fight back.

Eli seems drawn to Oskar at first due to his sweetness, but as the film progresses, we see that Eli's feelings are very complex, and that she is no ordinary girl. On top of walking barefoot in the snow and never feeling cold because she's "forgotten how", Eli scares cats, defies gravity Spiderman-style, and drinks human blood to sustain herself. Let The Right One In is a vampire movie, but like none that has ever been made before. It has elements of spine-tingling horror, a heartwarming portrayal of first love, and the depth and intrigue of a dark fantasy. All of the film's images are in my opinion, instant classics, and the story is a primal one, yet also fresh and modern.

It is arranged to be remade by Hollywood (I am obviously worried, but keep reminding myself that I liked The Grudge, whose original was Japanese), and will be called Let Me In. Look for it on a big screen near you in 2010. Today, however, take the time to see Let The Right One In on DVD as I did, and remember that they just don't make many films like this one, so ENJOY!

- Dani

He's Just Not That Into You (2009)

2009-07-02T15:47:00.008-05:00

After reading the self-help book entitled, He’s Just Not That Into You and finding it extremely hilarious and insightful, I was very excited when I discovered they had a movie coming out by the same name. However, I was curious as to how they were going to portray a self-help book on the big screen. Unable to see the movie at the time of its theatrical release, I had to wait the four long months until it was finally released onto DVD, but the wait was well worth it. I was pleasantly surprised to ascertain that the movie was done in a rather creative way, while also keeping much of the information provided in the best-selling book intact.

He’s Just Not That Into You follows the love lives of a dozen or so people through the complicated world of dating, marriage, and friendship. Well-known actors portray the cast of characters, including Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johannson, Bradley Cooper, Drew Barrymore, and Justin Long.

Rated PG-13, this 129-minute romantic comedy will make you laugh as well as empathize with the main characters. I found it intriguing that all of the characters are connected to each other in some way, and I also enjoyed the short scenes of “real people” giving their take own person takes on dating.

All in all, I thought this movie was very well done. It’s difficult to share more of the movie plot without giving away too much, so you’ll just have to see it for yourself!
I also suggest reading the best seller that started it all, He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. It’s as hilarious and well-written as the movie.

-Lindsay

Ghost Town (2008)

2009-06-26T15:20:00.004-05:00

This film had an unusual, but unexpectedly nice combination of elements. It is a PG-13 romantic comedy directed by David Koepp, and features Ricky Gervais (whom I enjoyed so well in the British TV series The Office). In Ghost Town he is Bertram Pincus; a cantankerous dentist who prefers to keep company with himself rather than with others. So when he dies unexpectedly for seven minutes and discovers upon waking that he can see dead people and is expected to help them, he is especially perturbed.

I must say that Sixth Sense is one of my favorite films, and the jabs at it here were particularly funny to me for that reason, but the "romantic" part of this movie's genre comes in when Greg Kinnear's character, Frank, does not become discouraged by Pincus and his wish to be left alone. A particularly pesky ghost, Frank very badly wants to see the new man that his widow, Gwen has fallen for be chased off, and then a new, much more suitable man be paired up with her in the old one's place. Bertram Pincus finds himself expected to play matchmaker, but goes along with the whole thing in hopes that he can win Gwen, played by Tea Leoni, for himself. The complex and awkward scenes that ensue are pure hilarity.

While Ricky Gervais as Bertram Pincus is not so different from Ricky Gervais as David Brent from The Office, and though Ghost Town is a little like a lot of different films that have already done similar things, the combination of his acting and this script is a good one. So, in conclusion, I recommend you see Ghost Town if you are up for a little twist on the old been-there-done-that romantic comedy, and especially if you are unfamiliar with Ricky Gervais, though you find dry, British wit humorous. I know it does the trick for me!

-Dani

Up (2009)

2009-06-20T11:54:00.005-05:00

Torn between Year One, The Hangover, and Drag Me to Hell at the movies last night, my friends and I finally decided on the movie Up- which surprisingly proved to be a great choice!

Up chronicles the adventure of a 78-year-old balloon salesman named Carl. Carl and his wife Ellie possess adventurous spirits, and both share a lifelong dream of traveling to South America to live next to Paradise Falls. After Ellie passes away, Carl is forced to move to a retirement home. But before they can take him away, Carl ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies off to visit the wilds of South America.

Not long after being airborne, Carl discovers a stowaway on board his house. Russell, a young Wilderness Explorer is along for the ride as the two of them develop an unlikely friendship and journey toward fulfilling Carl’s dream.

While Wall-E still remains my favorite Disney/Pixar film, Up is as unique and well done. I especially loved the sequence near the beginning of the film that illustrated major events in Carl and Ellie’s life as they aged-such as getting married, attempting to have children, and the changes they made to their home throughout the years. This was done at a fast pace and set to music, with no dialogue. This particular scene reminded me a great deal of Wall-E, in that a story can be told with little to no dialogue and still be unique, understood, and inspiring.

The characters in Up are both loveable and hilarious. This is definitely a humorous movie with witty dialogue, but it also has its sad, moving moments too. Rated PG and directed by Pete Docter, (writer of Wall-E and director of Monsters, Inc.) Up is not just a movie for kids. Both adults and children will be impressed and entertained by this unique story. I don’t know how much longer it will be available in theaters, but be sure to see it on DVD when it is released. You won’t be disappointed.

-Lindsay

Gran Torino (2009)

2009-06-05T11:40:00.008-05:00

First things first, I loved this film. The plot is not one that can easily fit into any clearly defined genre and has a little bit of something for everyone, no matter what their taste in movie style. Clint Eastwood, as both director and lead actor will blow you away with this story of life, death, and the choices that we all have to make in between those points.

Our main man, Clint, plays Walt Kowalski; an elderly Korean war vet who is experiencing the recent loss of his wife and the distance that has always existed between himself and his family. His prejudices are many, and he seems absolutely careless about revealing both them, and the disgust he seems to have about the fact that the nice Detroit, MI neighborhood he enjoyed with his wife has slowly over the years become the home of immigrants and their families. Needless to say, he is not on the best of terms with the Hmong neighbors that he shares a property line with. We see this tension established from one of the first scenes, where they are having a baby shower while Walt's family gathers to grieve after the funeral of his wife.

The story begins to swirl around Walt's 1972 Gran Torino, a car he treasures above all else, and a car that the local Vietnamese gang dares Walt's young Hmong neighbor, Thao, to steal as initiation into their fold. Sweet, shy Thao fumbles this quite thoroughly, but the pressure is still on him to leave the house he lives in with his grandmother, mother and sister, and to take to the streets with the gang. Annoyed with the whole affair, Walt eventually becomes involved. Through the persistence of Thao's sister, Sue, the two families begin to make amends and Walt seems to forgive Thao for his transgressions, just as his late wife's priest has been urging Walt to do with his life and the past that haunts him.

This story is both dark and unexpectedly funny, with a very deep and meaningful message. It is impossible to not be moved in some way by it, and so I urge you to seek out this film! For those that think it will not be up their alley, I say to them: you may be surprised.

Dani

Valkyrie (2008)

2009-05-27T10:17:00.003-05:00

Based on one of the 15 known attempts to assassinate Hitler during World War II, Valkyrie, the PG-13 movie directed by Bryan Singer, tells the true story of the final attempted plot by a group of German officers of the Wehrmacht to overthrow Hitler and the Nazi regime.

Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, played by Tom Cruise, sees the evil and corruption that Hitler is bringing to Germany. He decides that he must save Germany from Hitler, and he, along with several other German officers develop a plot to assassinate Hitler, and take control of the Nazi regime. By redrafting the plans for "Operation Valkyrie," Hitler's private Reserve Army that would maintain order in the event of a national emergency, Stauffenberg and the others are now able to overthrow the SS and bring down the regime.

Without even watching this movie, you already know the outcome: this assassination attempt fails.

The movie plot is very slow-moving, almost to the point of boredom, and I felt that it was very anti-climatic. It does, however, pick up finally near the end, as Stauffenberg's plan is put into action.

While this movie aims at being a "historical thriller" and an "action adventure,” I would highly disagree. To me, it seemed more like a war-drama, with the actors walking around in uniform scheming and talking amongst themselves, rather than being on the front lines in the middle of the war action. There are really very little action scenes throughout the movie, and relatively zero suspense—the plot is obviously very predictable.

There is also little character development. Aside from what we are shown of Stauffenberg’s family life, there is no insight into any of the main character’s personal lives. The movie also doesn’t give much motive as to why each of the characters desired to plot against Hitler.

I do feel however that the acting was very good. I thought that each of the actors portrayed their characters well. The costumes were also very authentic representations of Nazi Germany.

Overall, this movie was pretty blah. I don’t know much of the history behind Operation Valkyrie or Colonel Stauffenberg, so I’m not sure how historically accurate the movie really is, but supposedly there are many accounts and records of this assassination attempt. I wouldn’t go so far as to call the movie a complete waste of time, but if you’re looking to see an action-adventure or a thriller, I’d advise you to look elsewhere.

-Lindsay

The Reader (2008)

2009-05-01T15:42:00.005-05:00

To start off, I will say that I thought a lot higher of this film than I usually think of romance dramas. It was thought provoking and very low-key, with Kate Winslet playing the character of Hanna Schmitz and both David Kross and Ralph Fiennes playing Michael Berg, a man who as a boy meets Hanna in a 1958 Germany and begins a passionate, but forbidden love affair with her, only to find his heart broken when she suddenly leaves with no goodbye.
Years later, while Michael is studying law at college, he attends a Nazi war crimes trial and is shocked to encounter Hanna once more... on the defense stand.
The Reader is an adaptation of Bernhard Schlink's novel of the same title, and was directed by Stephen Daldry. It deals quite intriguingly with the the generation gap in 1958 between the Germans who experienced the war (Hanna) and the country's younger citizens (Michael) who did not. The idea that the most average and seemingly guiltless people, who may even be your neighbors, are hiding skeletons in their closets and concealing their secrets is a fascinating thing here, and is executed well.
I liked how we saw things from Hanna's point of view, and experienced, along with Michael at the trial, that she was guilty of her crimes, but was not necessarily a wicked person because of them. One of the messages within this is that though you might involve yourself in a war to do what you believe is a good and right thing, you may someday realize you have done or are doing something quite the opposite. Hindsight is always 20/20, as they say.
As you can see, this film is not a light one (watch 17 Again according to Lindsay if that's what you're looking for!), and some scenes can really drag you down emotionally. Parts of it are a bit slow, and in the day to day lives of the characters there was an abundance of thinking and regretting... regretting and moping... hopefully you get the idea.
If weighty movies don't phase you and melancholy, dead-end romances set in bleak, post-war Germany sound appealing, then you probably will not see much to dislike about this film. Keep in mind that it is rated R for its sexuality and nudity and see for yourself why Kate Winslet won the Oscar for Best Actress in The Reader.
-Dani

17 Again (2009)

2009-04-26T15:49:00.003-05:00

When I began to see previews and movie trailers advertising 17 Again a couple months ago, I thought it looked hilariously funny. This is the main reason I wanted to see this movie and surprisingly, the movie actually lived up to my expectations. I found it extremely entertaining, and laughed all the way through it.

Along the same lines as Big, The Kid and 13 Going on 30, 17 Again explores the idea of reversing the clock and getting the chance to relive your life again. Mike O’Donnell is currently living with his best friend from high school, Ned Gold, because he is going through a divorce with his high school sweetheart, Scarlett. Stuck in a dead-end job with no relationship with his family or teenage kids, Mike contemplates what it would be like to go back in time and relive his high school “dream years” when he was a basketball star with the chance at a college scholarship. Mike’s wish is granted when he meets the mysterious school janitor. He is transformed back to his 17-year-old self, and gets a second chance at reliving high school, and changing his life.

Directed by Burr Steers, 17 Again earned a PG-13 rating for language, and some sexual content. However, younger kids were also present in the theater, and they seemed to enjoy it as well, although I believe it is geared at a more mature audience. I thought the acting was very good, with Matthew Perry playing the adult Mike O’Donnell, and Zac Efron playing the 17-year-old version of Mike. I feel that Efron proved in this performance that he has a lot of talent that extends beyond High School Musical. The supporting actors also added a lot to the film. Thomas Lennon was hilarious in his role as nerdy Ned Gold, and Leslie Mann was also great as estranged wife Scarlett.

While the time-warp vortex that Mike falls into is a little unrealistic, and the plotline is inevitably predictable, there is really no point in overanalyzing the film. The movie is just meant to be fun.

I felt that this movie was everything it was geared towards being. It was humorous, with a well-written plot, and very good acting. While it is not an Oscar worthy film, it served its purpose at being entertaining and funny. I would definitely recommend seeing it. If you don't plan on watching it in theaters, look for it in the future months to be released onto DVD. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised.

-Lindsay

Changeling (2008)

2009-04-20T13:09:00.004-05:00

This film has been out on DVD for a while now, but I really wanted to take the time to recommend seeing it if you have not already. Not enough can be said for Angelina Jolie's performance as Christine Collins, the mother of missing child, Walter Collins, who actually did disappear in March of 1928 and caused a series of events to unfold that proved that truth can be just as strange as fiction.

Directed by Clint Eastwood, the movie follows the true events quite faithfully, all the while focusing on Angelina's character as she searches for her son with the help of the LAPD. When they bring her son back to her, she is shocked to realize that some evident mistake has been made, and that the boy they present her with is not Walter. The police insist she is wrong, and pressure her into accepting the boy as her own. This acceptance is something that she will rue as the story progresses, and perhaps is something hard for the audience to swallow. We must remember, though, that this really happened! As she begins to insist that the boy is not Walter, and to raise her voice higher and higher in opposition to the mistake made by the LAPD, and their denials of their mistake, they go to greater and greater lengths to dismiss and discredit her.

Women, we must remember, had a much different standing in society in the 1920s than they do today. She was speaking out not only against a powerful organization, but against powerfully ambitious men, who inevitably decided she was not minding her ladylike manners.

After being locked away in an insane asylum by the police, her cause begins to expose the corruption of the LAPD and to ignite a public outcry against it.

Things seem to go from bad to worse at this point, when a serial killer is apprehended after his cousin confesses their crimes due to a heavy conscience. The murders of all those boys that they kidnapped inspire all of the grisly shock onscreen that they must have caused in the 1920s when they were recounted in papers and in the courtrooms of the trial. These scenes no doubt earned the film's R rating, and are not for the faint of heart, but even if crime and horror is not your forte in film, you are guaranteed to be riveted and unable to look away! It's a splendid film, and a fascinating story.

-Dani

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

2009-04-19T21:42:00.005-05:00

As the Oscar winner for Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire is definitely one of the most original movies I have seen. While it may not consist of well-known actors cast as the leading roles, I feel that this movie still has a unique storyline, and is portrayed in a very captivating way.

Based on the book Q & A by Vikas Swarup and directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandon, Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of Jamal Malik, a Mumbai teen who becomes a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? in order to find his lost childhood sweetheart. As Jamal advances his way through the questions, he is suspected of cheating. No one can believe that a young man who grew up in the slums knows the right answers. He is arrested and interrogated. During his interrogation, the movie reveals how events throughout Jamal’s life prove that he knows the correct answers.

I really enjoyed how the situations from Jamal’s past ended up relating to questions he was being asked on the game show. This really kept me interested throughout the whole movie. While flashbacks usually end up confusing me, these were done very well.

The only complaint I will make is relatively minor. While the movie was not anti-climatic in any sense, it seemed to drag a bit. At exactly 120 minutes, the beginning seemed a little sluggish, but it picked up soon after.

Overall, I think this movie was extremely fascinating and well-done; a different twist on the average “love story.” I would not recommend it for younger children, however. It has an R rating for violence and language, and I must admit that a couple of the scenes are pretty graphic.

Slumdog Millionaire is emotional and engaging, making it one of the most memorable movies. It is now available on DVD, so be sure to see it!

-Lindsay

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

2009-04-14T10:44:00.005-05:00

Well, I saw this film a while ago, (a few days after it came out due to my excitement). I love scary movies, but only when they have supernatural elements and are more akin to ghost stories than slasher flicks.

Rated PG-13, the film is director Peter Cornwell's debut. Keep that in mind when you see it...

This story about an average family struggling to deal with their eldest son's cancer diagnosis and the changes in their lives that that brings was always, in my opinion, a rich and promising premise. If this so far sounds like a drama, instead of a horror film, allow me to continue. The family is forced to move to Connecticut where their son is being treated, and they then see no choice but to move into a house that was once a funeral home and seems to have a very dark and sinister past. Paranormal activity is witnessed by every single member of the family and slowly but surely begins to put a strain on their lives and also cause mysterious effects to their son, Matt, and his grave illness.

This is basically where fiction takes leave of fact, as believe it or not, the film is based on a true story that I have been quite fascinated with for some years now. A more in depth look at the actual events can be obtained from the Discovery Channel's program A Haunting in Connecticut, or from the book, In a Dark Place, written by the family alongside Ed and Lorraine Warren; the paranormal investigators that they ended up calling into their home.

For reasons unknown to me, it seems that Hollywood made the decision to deliberately leave out the most compelling aspects of the story and the details that made this particular case different from any other. The film plays onscreen like a bad imitation of The Amityville Horror; falling into every cliche and using every cheap trick known to the genre. I love subtlety in my horror films, and also admission from them within their plot that unexplainable things happen in our world, and that not all stories end with a resolution. Needless to say, this film did not give me that.

I would recommend seeing this movie before looking for yourself into the real case, if you intend to do so. This does not guarantee that you will avoid disappointment, but it may help.

- Dani

Marley & Me (2008)

2009-04-12T22:46:00.002-05:00

Based on the “New York Times” bestselling book by the same title, “Marley & Me” follows the life of John Grogan and his family, and the many trials they face with their Labrador, Marley.
John and Jenny Grogan have no idea what’s in store for them when they bring home puppy Marley. Soon, Marley grows in to a large, out of control dog that’s always causing hilarious, but awkward trouble.
Directed by David Frankel, “Marley & Me” is entertaining for the whole family at only a PG rating. Many scenes made me laugh out loud, as well as cry. Even though I’ve never owned a dog, I felt that the development of Marley throughout the years was very accurate. While the cast was not very large, both the main actors, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, portrayed John and Jenny immensely well.
I have yet to read the book, but I believe that the movie accurately captured the story. I definitely have plans to read the book in the near future.
“Marley & Me” is now available on DVD, so make sure you see it! It’s definitely a movie worth watching.

-Lindsay

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

2009-04-07T22:41:00.000-05:00

One short phrase can probably sum this movie up here for me, but I have a feeling that it won't. The phrase is this: Best film I have seen in a long time.

Directed by David Fincher and based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the story chronicles the entire life of Benjamin Button, who is born an old man and ages backwards from there. The film makes no apologies and offers no explanations for this condition, but you somehow find yourself never wondering about the whys and hows. The direction and acting are mesmerizing, and from the start you are swept away into the story which is poignant and humorous; joyful and sad.

I was amazed by the textures and artistry of the sets and scenes, and though that was greatly due to the location of the story's setting (New Orleans, with some adventures abroad also thrown in), the cinematography was exquisite.

Benjamin Button is played by Brad Pitt, and with the help of some amazing make-up and nearly undetectable computer aid, he plays both a frail and elderly man, and a flawlessly youthful teen all in the same movie! Cate Blanchett's transformation in her role as Benjamin's friend and love interest, Daisy, is also very dramatic.

Benjamin's strange life seems to have also been frought with strange adventures, and for a time we follow him about on some Huck Finn-style forays into the world beyond his home, where he meets a seemingly endless array of odd characters. One cannot help but feel at least a little wanderlust while watching him learn as much as he does from these travels.

This is what I would call a fantasy movie , though it is not the classic definition of that genre. It is rated PG-13 and is a lengthy 166 minutes. It will be coming to DVD on 05/05/09, and is available for hold placement today, so be sure to get your name on the list!

- Dani

Coraline (2009)

2009-04-07T18:02:00.000-05:00

Coraline is a computer animated adaptation of Neil Gaiman's book for children, directed by Henry Selick. The film, however, has appeal for viewers of all ages. It is rated PG, and though inevitably it has a happy ending, some elements may be a bit frightening to young children, and many scenes are quite dark. It is about an 11 year old girl who unlocks an Alice in Wonderland-type door in her new home and finds behind it a parallel universe where all her wishes seem to have come true. Things take a creepy turn, however, when she is faced with the fact that it is all too good to be true, and that she may never be able to return home again.
The theatre was showing it in 3-D when I went, and handed you the glasses as you entered to take your seat. I cannot say that I noticed much of anything popping out from the screen (as I expected!), but rather felt that the 3-D added a depth that I cannot now imagine the film being without.
I am a fan of the Tim Burton-style of animation, and was hoping that Coraline would be similar. I was not disappointed, and hope that the same will true for you when you see it! Keep an eye out in the months to come for the film's release onto DVD!
-Dani