Persepolis

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The animated history of how Iran has evolved in the last 40 years, as told through the eyes of a rebellious girl born in the early 70s, who watches her country become less evolved as she becomes more evolved.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The voices of Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darrieux, Simon Abkarian, Gabrielle Lopes

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Telling a historical story through a first person "biopic" point of view is an interesting approach, but it doesn't completely hide the fact that this is more of a lesson in history than a character study. On an intellectual level, it is possible to infer a lot about our world, and how people respond to their governments by either feeling empowered to rebel against them or worn out, apathetic, and helpless to make a change. But you will not leave the theater having gained this insight on a visceral level, you will have to make the effort to think about it afterwards.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There is one highly comedic montage to Rocky's, "Eye of the Tiger," which feels severely out of place in this movie which doesn't include Will Ferrell.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're from Iran, you will certainly feel depressed about the backwards direction of the people's freedom, as depicted by this film.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Many. Though I would not have predicted this outcome, had the nominations not been announce before my review. It has won and been nominated for too many awards to mention. Mostly in the uncrowded Animation categories, but sometimes in the Foreign Film categories, as well.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Animated.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing was the highlight of this movie. The animation was highly artistic and seemed to move in unpredictable yet organic ways. The closest animation I can think to compare it to would be The Beatles' Yellow Submarine -- though Persepolis is more sophisticated, and doesn't require dropping acid.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I was happy to learn a little something about the history of Iran, but I would have liked to be more emotionally compelled by the film. It played like a biopic. And anyone who's been reading this blog knows how I feel about biopics.

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Starting Out in the Evening

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An aging novelist, who is struggling to live up to his early career glory, gets taken for a ride when a beautiful young student asks to write her master's thesis about his life and career.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Frank Langella, Lili Taylor, Lauren Ambrose, Adrian Lester, Jessica Hecht, Michael Cumpsty

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is an intellectual movie about intellectual people, so if "intellectual" is not in the top five words you'd use to describe yourself, you should probably skip this one. On the other hand, there's a certain older, intellectual crowd (which includes my parents) who might really take something from it.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you laugh when you're uncomfortable, there's a small chance. If not, then at least you get to feel uncomfortable.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you have any dark memories relating to some shifty winter-spring romance you got yourself tangled up in, the kissing scene might bring tears to your eyes... Or vomit to your mouth.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's nominated for a Best Screenplay Spirit Award. It's not my favorite of the bunch, but neither are any of the others.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Even though the story takes place within only about a year, Frank Langella does a nice job of making you feel like he's getting older before your very eyes.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Perfectly suited to this low budget story. It's unremarkable... in a good way.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I appreciate how freely many of the characters speak their minds, even when what they have to say is not pretty. Maybe the straight forward and confrontational attitude is a New York thing, but it seems so rare these days for people to be honest about what they really think of each other, (I mean besides on anonymous chat boards). For that reason, it's interesting to see conversations between a bunch of people who can dish it out, and also take it. Unfortunately, simultaneously while I was enjoying this fresh dialogue, I found myself having to suspend disbelief that these people would actually talk to each other that way. But if they did, and if I was one of them, and if I were speaking to the writers, I would probably ask them if they had any idea what the young student's motivations were for behaving so seductively toward this old writer.

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Margot at the Wedding

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Margot (Nicole Kidman) brings her son to visit her sister, Pauline (Jennifer Jason Leigh), under the pretext that they're going to attend Pauline's wedding. We soon find out that Margot wouldn't even be there pretending to reconcile her long-strained relationship with her sister, if it weren't for the fact that she's trying to escape her husband, who she has secretly decided to leave.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black, Zane Pais, Flora Cross, Ciaran Hinds, John Turturro, Halley Feiffer

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! I will recommend this movie to one subcategory of people: those who like The Savages. These two movies have in common that they are both real-feeling, small films about unlikeable, insecure people, who are trying to reconcile past abuses from within their immediate families. That said, if I were forced to chose between them, in a game of, "Who would you do?" I would subject myself to this one, because its point is ever-so-slightly less subtle.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: A little, at the awkwardness.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, and when the actors in it cry, no tears will come to their eyes either.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: As part of their never ending quest to subject their voters to hard to watch material, the Spirit Awards have nominated Jennifer Jason Leigh for Best Supporting Actress . It would have been easy for them to hide the fact that this nomination was just part of their ploy to force people to watch the film, by simply nominating Nicole Kidman instead, as her role was more difficult, more complex, and far more noteworthy.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Nicole Kidman gives one of her more interesting performances as a woman who seems to have no idea how incredibly psychologically unbalanced she is. She plays it perfectly by assuming that she's normal, and it's everyone around her that's crazy.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Baumbach does a great job of creating uncomfortable and awkward moments between the characters. But oftentimes there are cutaways and point-of-view shots, where I could not tell what I was supposed to be looking at.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I don't need a happy ending, I just need a point. If I'm not going to leave the theater uplifted, or with a sense of hope, I would at least like to leave thinking something besides, "So that happened..."

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American Gangster

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The true story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), the first Black American gangster, who found a way to traffic heroin, cutting out the middle men, so as to create and own his black market business, without having to answer to anyone.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Denzel Washington, Russel Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ruby Dee, Idris Elba, RZA, Common, Lymari Nadal, Carla Gugino, Armand Assante, Kevin Corrigan, Tip Harris (T.I.)

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Good, but not groundbreaking. The genre has been done before, and it's done perfectly well here, but nothing new is added to the formula, aside from the gangster being Black at a time when Black people were rarely in positions of power. No surprises to be had, it is what it is.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: They do show that famous clip of Muhammad Ali talking about how he's going to kick Joe Frazier's butt, and that's always good for a laugh.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're in PETA, Denzel's Chinchilla pimp coat and hat might bring tears to your eyes.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's nominated for 3 Golden Globes, for Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Director (Ridley Scott), and of course, Denzel Washington... But they're all in categories where someone else clearly shone more.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Totally acceptable. Denzel and Russel can do these roles in their sleep.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Yet another good movie that could have been great simply by cutting it down to 2 hours, and thereby leaving out all the unnecessary parts.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The true story is interesting, but there were certain aspects of it that I would have like to see more of, like how and why the military got involved, and why his family jumped at the chance to blindly join his business, even though he hadn't spoken to them for 15 years, they didn't know what he did, and they saw him acting as a cold blooded killer. And other parts I would have been happy to see less of, like Russel Crowe's custody battle.

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The Bucket List

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Two terminally ill men (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) check out of a cancer ward to embark on a road trip around the world with a wish-list of things to do before they kick the bucket.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Rob Morrow, Beverly Todd

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! What could have been an overly maudlin film manages just enough restraint to keep things entertaining, funny, and relatable. Its holiday-timed release is ideal as this is a movie that just about anyone can – and will – enjoy.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Thankfully, yes. And you’ll laugh a lot, mostly thanks to Nicholson’s performance.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Bring Kleenex. Lots of it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Probably not, but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jack Nicholson is in top form as an irascible billionaire with a few surprises up his sleeve. From start to finish he’s fun to watch. Morgan Freeman makes for a perfect foil, and it’s nice to see Sean Hayes in a more subdued performance than on Will & Grace-- although no less funny.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The Bucket List is a nice return to form for director Rob Reiner. While maybe not as good as his very best work, like When Harry Met Sally, it’s far better than Rumor Has It.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There’s no denying that this was written to be mainstream entertainment, and the script feels that way. There’s nothing really new here, but the story still manages some nice surprises and genuinely touching moments that won’t make you cringe.

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No Country for Old Men

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a hunter (Josh Brolin) comes across a bunch of dead bodies and a bag full of cash, he takes the cash and soon becomes the hunted.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper, Beth Grant

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. While it's certainly an accomplishment in filmmaking, this film is not for everyone. Anyone who is a true movie aficionado will love it. But those simply looking to be entertained may leave the theater confused.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I had heard it was a dark comedy. If by "dark" they meant "not a," then I can agree.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The National Board of Review has already rewarded it with Awards for Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Ensemble. It is nominated for four Golden Globes , including Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem). And I'm sure we can expect to see it follow suit at the Academy Awards... While it deserves nominations in all these categories, it wouldn't be my pick to win in any of them.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Javier Bardem's chilling rendition of a psychopathic killer is clearly part of his master plan to establish himself as one of the greatest actors of his generation.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The classic Coen Brothers' style of direction is put to powerful use in this film. Without a musical score, the movie has a quiet and methodical pace, starting out slow and gradually ramping up to a heart-racing tension. Because of their wide angles, slow moving pans, and hand-held action sequences, there is a simple realism to the film, which separates it from "popcorn-movie" style action thrillers.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Apparently a very close adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy book, the dialogue is unpredictable, and the storyline in anything but cookie-cutter. There are original moments that are the type that go down in movie history. But if the ending was trying to make any kind of a point, I missed it.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: If you are planning to see this, I do advise seeing it on the big screen, because something will definitely get lost in your living room.

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The Great Debaters

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The true story of a team of Black debaters from Wiley College, in Texas, who are the first to challenge White debate teams, in 1935, and in so doing, help pave the way for the Civil Rights movement.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Whitaker, Kimberly Elise, John Heard, Jermaine Williams

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Moving, intellectual, and visceral, the story is a reminder of a shameful part of our history, and the brave and forward-thinking types of people it always has and always will take to break the cycle of hate.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yes. It'll even make you applaud.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Only if you have a heart, a mind, or a conscience.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I can say with confidence: yes, because The Golden Globes were announced today, and it was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama. But I don't think it'll win.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: You've got Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, and this movie has even got a kid in it named, Denzel Whitaker. Need I say more?

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Clearly an actor's director, Denzel captures some of his most poignant moments in the shared looks and thoughtful expressions that happen in between the dialogue .

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There is a B-story about unionizing the farmers, which doesn't make much sense. But screenwriter, Robert Eisele, more than makes up for it by creating inspired debate speeches and a sensory experience of what it must have felt like to live as a Negro in the lynch-mob-south. That would've been so uncool.

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Charlie Wilson's War

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The true story of how Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) won Afghanistan's war against the Soviet Union, in the late 80s, without anyone finding out that the U.S. was involved.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty, Emily Blunt, Om Puri, Erick Avari, John Slattery, Christopher Denham

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Fast-paced, complex, and full of humor, it helps to explain one small aspect of the incomprehensible quagmire we've gotten ourselves into in the Middle East. It's like a prequel.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Have you seen the poster? Did you get a look at Philip Seymour Hoffman's mustache? Now, that's funny! (Warning: Although there are some laughs, this is not a comedy, and anyone who says it is, is just trying to qualify for the less competitive categories in the Golden Globes.)

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It is sad that seeing the behind the scenes workings of politics actually gives you less faith in the government's ability to protect us.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The TV Emmy is a hard-bodied woman, and Aaron Sorkin's got six of them. Any man would want to be surrounded by that harem, even a man with no genitals, like Oscar. On the other side of the spectrum, playing a man with balls of steel, look for Philip Seymour Hoffman in the Best Supporting Actor category.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Philip Seymour Hoffman... Wow. He steals every scene he's in. It's such a fun role, and he doesn't miss a beat. Tom Hanks is a tough sell as a Texan, but that's probably only because it's hard to believe that a Democrat ever came out of Texas.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: While the film is about important issues, it manages to not get self-important. What a breath of fresh air. Thanks to Mike Nichols' fast-paced, slim and trim directing, you don't even have time to dwell on how far over your head Aaron Sorkin's script is.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Nobody does political intrigue like Aaron Sorkin. He enlightens, makes you laugh, and reminds you that the world of Washington politics is too complex for the human mind to wrap its head around. And, unfortunately, that includes the human minds that work in Washington. Suck on that Lions for Lambs!

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There Will Be Blood

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A slice of Americana, this character study depicts the birth of an oil tycoon at the turn of last century.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciaran Hinds, Dillon Freasier

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. A lot of people will love this movie. What follows is a list of people who won't: 1) People who can't stomach criticisms of organized religion. 2) People who don't appreciate being blatantly manipulated by the music. And 3) People, like me, who can't understand why so many directors these days can't cut those extraneous 38 minutes to get their movie down to a manageable 2 hours.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Smarter people will laugh individually at a few meaningful references here and there, but no group laughter will be had.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If the Good Lord, Jesus, enters your soul and releases your demons, during one of the town evangelist's dramatic sermons, you might cry. Or at least that's how it works according to TV.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Daniel Day-Lewis is always good for a nomination (deservedly so), and Paul Dano gives the kind of break-out performance that often times, not only gets nominated for the Best Supporting Actor category, but also wins it.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The film feels like it doesn't have any stars in it, and yet it does. When you forget that you're watching famous people, who make a lot of money, you remember why they are making so much money. Because they're good at their jobs.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The visual style is reminiscent of the slow paced, wide-canvased films of the 1940s. So that's nice. What is less nice is the score, which is overbearing and often times incongruous with the visuals, drawing attention toward itself and away from the story. I'm sure that many people will mistake this for great work. But those people should consider that it might actually be a sign of a director who knows that he doesn't have enough tension naturally happening on the screen, and therefore, is forced to manfacture it, by adding dramatic music. Regularly throughout the film, there are scenes where nothing is really happening: maybe it's a shot of people sitting around smoking, maybe it's a still shot of a mountain... and while you're watching these shots about nothing, the music has got your heart-rate in a tizzy. Counting Punch Drunk Love and Boogie Nights, this is the third time Paul Thomas Anderson has used this technique of putting sounds and music loudly in the forefront of his movies in an effort to disturb his audience. Some might interpret this as "a cool technique that defines his style." But it can also be interpreted as a director who doesn't trust his story enough, and instead relies on drawing our attention to the filmmaking element which is guaranteed to instinctually create emotions in us.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Based on the book, "Oil!" by Upton Sinclair, the movie doesn't have a plot but is nonetheless compelling. The characters are rich and unpredictable, and the final scene is nothing short of masterful.

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The Savages

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A brother and sister (Philip Seymour Hoffman & Laura Linney) find out that their father has dementia, and struggle with their choice to put him in a nursing home.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco, Peter Friedman, Gbenga Akinnagbe, David Zayas

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! It all plays very much like real life. You know what else plays like real life? The annoyed sighing, yawning, and shifting in their seats of the audience. The difference is we, the audience, had the decency not to put our struggle to get through these boring 2 hours on film and assume people would want to watch it.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: My friends and I giggled when we realized we had all lost interest in what was happening on the screen.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: You'll have to bring your own personal baggage to the theater if you want to achieve tears this time. Preferably something to do with a parent who mistreated you as a child, and now hardly knows who you are, due to dementia... although I'm sure Alzheimer's or amnesia would do the trick, as well.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The Spirit Awards have the annoying habit of confusing the terms "boring" and "great," when they're deciding who to recognize. As was to be expected, they nominated this one for Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Actor.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney live up to their reputations as indy darlings.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The film has a very independent, low budget look. It starts out with some interesting stylized shots of old ladies dancing in cheer leading outfits, but soon forgets where it started. The established style gets completely dropped. The one consistency is the frequent shots of the sky. Bo-ring.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I'm so tired of "small film" being equated with "pointless film." This is the kind of story that keeps audiences away from small movies.

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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on the hit Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd, aka Benjamin Barker, returns to London after a lengthy exile to exact revenge on the Judge who sent him to prison so he could be with Sweeney’s wife and daughter.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower, Jayne Wisener, Anthony Head

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with caution. Speaking as someone who has never seen the staged production of Sweeney Todd, I’m going to assume that if you liked that, you will most likely also enjoy this film interpretation. Otherwise, keep in mind it is a musical, and the characters sing. A lot. The story is extremely dark, oftentimes disturbingly so, and although the bloodletting has a certain operatic grace about it, there is a ton of throat-slitting and once it starts, the blood flows and spatters pretty much non-stop. This movie will not put you in the holiday spirit, and people looking for more depth in a film’s storytelling and characters would be better served looking elsewhere.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Let’s hope so, because the comedy is one of its few redeeming qualities. Like the film, the humor is pitch-black dark and when it comes from a clever turn-of-phrase from a Sondheim lyric it’s especially funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Only if you weep over the death of cockroaches.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: If the Academy feels so obliged, hopefully they will restrain themselves to categories like costume and production design.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Superb from top to bottom. Johnny Depp is terrific as Sweeney and his singing voice is surprisingly good. He speaks and sings in a cockney accent and puts an amazing amount of emotion into the lyrics. Helena Bonham Carter is perfect as Mrs. Lovett, the deranged pie-maker with a major crush on Sweeney. Sacha Baron Cohen (“Borat” himself) is hilarious as a rival barber and newcomer Jayne Wisener as Johanna, Sweeney’s teenage daughter, has a voice that will blow everyone away. The acting is the best thing about Sweeney Todd.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It’s Tim Burton with all the usual Tim Burton-isms. The film is beautiful to look at like most of his movies are, almost like a painting. But it is also very confined and shot in a lot of close-ups. It hasn’t been ‘opened-up’ as much as one might expect from a director like Burton, as if he intentionally kept to the spirit of its theatrical roots.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Apparently the film adheres very closely to the original Broadway production, and as a movie, that’s where it falters. The story and set-up are so extremely simple, that they deny the characters any real depth that might have made us actually care about them. Since the story is so surface, all we’re left to hold onto are the stunning images and great songs. You won’t feel much for any of the characters, but you could have if they’d bothered to flesh out the story a bit more.

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Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A parody of the Musical Biopic genre, this is the story of fake musician Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly), his rise to fame, and his struggle against the temptations that come with it.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Raymond J. Barry, Kristen Wiig, Tim Meadows, Chris Parnell, Matt Besser, and a lot of great cameos that shall remain a surprise.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. You will love this movie if you go with low expectations, AND are a college aged person, who has seen Walk the Line, and is stoned.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not in the same ballpark as Knocked Up or Superbad, but it's still funny. Especially if you're stoned.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Getting stoned can bring up a lot of unlikely emotions... Which is why the writer of this blog does not recommend drug use of any kind, to anyone, under any circumstance, and denies all connection to any here-to-fore or afore-mentioned insinuations suggesting said highly illegal, not to mention sinful behavior, which may cause idiocy and loss of common sense. Furthermore, the writer of this blog has no experience with such substances, and has never inhaled.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: A song or two will get nominated. But they won't win. But only because the Academy isn't stoned. (And if we're honest, also because Eddie Vedder has the Best Original Song category tied up this year.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Broad and impassioned, exactly what you'd expect from a parody.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Frame for frame stolen from Walk the Line for the first half. Not an insult, this was obviously the point. But don't forget to see Walk the Line first, if you want to play along. In totally unrelated directing kudos, Jake Kasdan gets points for strong use of male frontal nudity.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The problem with biopics is that they're boring. So it's nice to see the genre being spoofed. On the flip side, this is still a biopic.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: A personal victory for me: they made fun of I'm Not There.

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Lust, Caution

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: During the Japanese invasion of Shanghai in WWII, a college coed (Tang Wei) joins a drama club in Hong Kong, and soon finds herself working as an amateur spy for the Chinese Resistance. Her job is to sleep with a high powered politician (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and lure him to fall in love with her.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Tang Wei, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Joan Chen, Lee-Hom Wang

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This movie is 2 1/2 hours long and would have benefited greatly from being at least 45 minutes shorter. A cut of that size would have kept the story moving at a nice clip, which would have in turn heightened the tension and the intrigue. If you want to see this story done right, rent last year's Paul Verhoeven film, Black Book.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I can't think of how.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I don't see why.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won the awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography at the Venice Film Festival. As far as the Academy Awards go, I'm sure they'll try to angle Ang Lee for another Best Director nod. But who they should really be gunning for is the lead actress, Tang Wei, who is spectacular.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Tang Wei seems to have the entire range of human emotions at her fingertips and she knows exactly when to call on each of them.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Ang Lee's style is distinct and recognizable. There is some wonderful work in the opening scenes, as he cuts between the fast paced Marj hon game and the four lady players gossipping as their chips hit the table. It moves well and sets a good pace. Unfortunately, in an effort to be dramatic, he slows it up in the later portions of the movie, when he would have been better served to cut to the chase.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I have never said this before but... there was too much dialogue! Because the movie is in Chinese, I actually was not able to keep up with the words as they passed across the screen, and when I did keep up, I wasn't left with any time to look at the actors' faces to see who was doing the talking. Aside from that, I thought the nature of the main characters' feelings toward the man she is forced to sleep with were unclear. Does she love him? Does she hate him? Do I care? Oh, and I didn't feel satisfied by the ending.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: It's rated NC-17 due to sexual content, of which there is a fair amount. Something you might want to know in advance is that the sexual portrayal is for the most part violent and aggressive, rather than sensual.

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Honeydripper

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The Black owner (Danny Glover) of a blues club in rural Alabama, in the 1950s, owes everybody money, and has one weekend to earn enough in cover charges, liquor and food, to pay all his debts and save his club, The Honeydripper.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Danny Glover, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Yaya DaCosta, Charles S. Dutton, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Gary Clark Jr., Mable John, Stacy Keach

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! I truly enjoyed the last ten minutes of this movie, which were high energy and filled with blues music, but I can not in good conscience recommend the rest of it to anybody. I have racked my brain to think of who might enjoy this long and slow paced meditation on being a musician in the Black south in the1950s, and I have come up blank. I thought maybe Blues and Gospel fans would like it, but there isn’t nearly enough music strung throughout the movie to satisfy that audience. I thought maybe Black Americans would like it because this is a part of their personal history, but the racial issues were covered tritely, and didn’t seem to add anything to the general knowledge most people already have about that time period. If anything, I would say the film was too soft in all areas.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: A couple of light chuckles, nothing memorable.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not even if you cry easily.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It tied for Best Screenplay at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, with Siete Mesas de Billar Frances. But keep in mind, English is not a Spanish judge’s first language, and I’m guessing the festival was kinda dead this year.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Danny Glover and Charles S. Dutton are a fun “buddy” team. Yaya DaCosta of America’s Next Top Model (Cycle 2) is still skinny. And Gary Clark Jr., in his first acting role, shows off why he’s one of the hottest young blues guitar players in the world. Okay, that’s not really a comment on his acting. But he’s so relaxed when he’s playing his music, that in contrast, it becomes more obvious that he’s not relaxed when he’s not playing.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: This is another example of a director not knowing when to cut. Coming in at a little over 2 hours, I can think of several whole scenes that were completely unnecessary toward advancing the very thin plot.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: While it’s clearly a personal story that John Sayles wanted to communicate about his connection to this type of music and it’s roots, I can’t say that his love of it translated from his heart and mind to his audience.

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Atonement

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a 13-year-old girl accuses her sister’s lover of raping another woman, she ruins all three of their lives.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai,Vanessa Redgrave, Brenda Blythen, Juno Temple

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The premise sounds better than what they actually did with it. The passion between the two lovers as they uncover their secret desire for each other is scintillating. The moment when the 13-year-old girl knowingly lies about the supposed crime adds to that a thrilling dilemma. And then the movie takes a sharp left turn and becomes a story about two lovers separated by World War II. This turn is completely unnecessary considering they’ve already been separated by this giant lie, and the movie would have been much stronger if they had stayed focused on the simple, yet high stakes elements that had been so smartly set up in the first act. I haven’t read the novel by Ian McEwan, which this is based on, and perhaps it worked well on the page, but on film it feels out of the blue and causes the story to wander at this point. This boring and meandering part of the movie does not make the good parts any less good, but it dramatically brings the movie down as a whole. After an amazing set up, the direction it goes in is a disappointment.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Once.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it makes the actors in it cry a lot.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Joe Wright, the director, was nominated for a Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film festival. He didn’t win.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: James McAvoy is one of those actors who has the ability to be really sexy on screen, even though he’s not particularly great looking. That tends to be a dead giveaway for good acting. I think he knows it though, because lately he seems to be picking his roles based on how hot the girl he gets to kiss will be. He’s gone from Kerry Washington in The Last King of Scotland, to Anne Hathaway in Becoming Jane, to Keira Knightley in this, and rumor has it, his next screen-kiss is scheduled to be with Angelina Jolie… I guess after that he can retire.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I found it self-indulgent. During the meandering war part of the film, there is a five minute long steady-cam shot which goes in and out of crowds of soldiers waiting around on the beach to be taken home. Some are wounded, some are crazy, some are singing! The shot follows extras, shows scenery, and amounts to nothing. It advanced the story in no way whatsoever, and gave me time to think about how proud the director must have been about his work on that shot. The whole thing should have been cut.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The novel by Ian McEwan was clearly written from the point of view of the 13-year-old girl, Briony. The movie script starts out from her point of view as well, but after the lie is told, it switches to the point of view of Robbie, the victim of the lie. And guess what? It’s suddenly 4 years later, and he is a soldier at war. When the movie changes points of view is the moment when it goes downhill. I assume the screenwriter had to tell the war part out of loyalty to the book, but if he had maintained Briony’s point of view, it might have better defined the story’s objective, stayed on the theme of “atonement,” and forced the writer to shorten that (weakest) section of the movie by a lot. Eventually, the story does go back to being about the guilt the little girl (who is now grown) feels for having lied. But in the end, what she finally does to atone for her mistake is a disappointment.

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