Semi-Pro

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Jackie Moon (Will Ferrell) makes a bunch of money with a hit single, "Love me Sexy," and with that money buys the American Basketball Association team, The Flint Tropics. Now the ABA is being shut down, and only the top four ABA teams can join the NBA, so his basketball team is forced to learn to play basketball.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Andre Benjamin, Maura Tierney, Andrew Daly, Will Arnett, Andy Richter, David Koechner, Rob Corddry, Matt Walsh, Jackie Earle Haley, (with appearances by a smattering of SNL and Daily Show regulars).

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Is Will Ferrell's thing getting tired? Or is this movie just less clever than the rest?

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There is one really funny line. (After you've seen it, I'll tell you which it was.) The second best joke is the wardrobe, but if you've seen one, "Hey, didn't we wear funny clothes in the 70s?"- joke, you've seen 'em all.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're a feminist, you might cry at the constant reminder of how degrading the 70s were to women... Especially when you think about how little progress some men have made.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: MTV will nominate it a bunch. But it actually has a good chance in the Best Fight category. If the rest of the movie had been at the level of the fight, they might've been on to something.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Will Ferrell's high-pitched, freaked-out rants are starting to blend together for me. He's got a lot of talent (obviously), and I would even go so far as to say that he will go down in history as the comedic voice of this era (and I mean on a Charlie Chaplin level)... but this particular character was a real jive turkey.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Kent Alterman's directing is probably the most graceful element of the movie. I noticed that I was often watching from exactly the angle I wanted to see, for exactly the amount of time I wanted to see. And the best part is he doesn't show any close-ups of the vomiting-- which is thoughtful. He wasn't quite so considerate with the extreme close-ups of Will Ferrell's inner crotch, in all too revealing 70s basketball shorts.

Q: How is the script?

A: I'm not sure this movie had one.

Back To Top

City of Men

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A big screen conclusion to the Sundance Channel series, "City of Men", which is a spin off of the 2002 movie City of God, this film takes us back to the gang wars of Rio de Janeiro's most violent neighborhoods, where two best friends (Douglas Silva and Darlan Cunha) are turning 18, becoming men, and being asked to make a final decision about whether they will join the gangs, or escape that deadly fate to make it on their own.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha, Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo dos Santos, Camila Monteiro, Naima Silva, Edwardo BR, Luciano Vidigal... and introducing Vinicius and Vitor Oliveira as Clayton.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you loved City of God as much as I did, you will be disappointed that this one isn't quite as good. That said, it does keep you entertained from the beginning to the end, including several high stakes moments. If you have been following the TV series, you should absolutely see how it concludes, but if you have not been following the series, don't let that scare you away, as I have not watched the show, and I had no trouble following the film.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you're one of those people who laughs at funerals and death.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it will have you on the edge of your seat a couple of times.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Aren't we tired of talking about Awards yet? It's over! They're over!... Award season is finally over.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Most of the actors have perfected these roles over the course of playing them on TV, so the acting is good across the board. But I was particularly impressed with the little baby(ies) who played 2 year old, Clayton. He walked, he cried, he made cute little sounds when he lost his pacifier. It was a complex role, with complex emotions, and you think I'm joking, but when you see the film, you'll know that I'm not.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I enjoyed how the director incorporated clips from the TV show, to show us the history of how these two friends have relied on each other like brothers since childhood. Seeing them when they were smaller and younger really drove home the importance of their bond. And the cinematography was beautiful and distinctly matched the original style of the series as spawned from the first movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story moves along, but the character's goals aren't strong enough, and I think that is the biggest problem with the movie. One of them wants to find his father, but his best friend plays down the relevance of that goal, making it seem less important than it is. The other character wants to be young and free, instead of having to deal with the responsibilities of his young wife and child. Not a particularly sympathetic goal. Somehow the character still manages to create some sympathy, because he's clearly not mature enough to be a dad. Also, the themes of whether to choose gang life or not, are not nearly as clearly depicted as in the original movie.

Back To Top

Step Up 2 The Streets

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young street dancer from the bad part of town, gets a chance to dance with the rich kids from the fancy dance school, and ends up having to battle her old crew from the streets.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, Adam G. Sevani, Cassandra Ventura, Danielle Polanco, Black Thomas, Will Kemp and a whole mess of dancers.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you enjoyed the first one, then you may as well Bring it On, and Stomp the Yard, because somebody's gonna Get Served! What I'm trying to say is that if you've seen the first one or any of the movies in the aforementioned sentence you know this story by heart... But dance movies are always a good time!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It takes a while to get there, but finally shows up in the form of an Asian Woman.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If anyone cries in this movie, I will personally buy them a lollipop.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Are they eligible to win Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew on MTV?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The lead girl in this one is a much better actress than the girl from Step Up the first, and cuter, too. She looks like Hayden Panettiere with brown hair. Her male counterpart is also a cutey, but when he starts dancing you can't help but wonder if he's gay. Not that that's bad, I'm just saying I've never met a straight guy with dance technique that good. And here's a question for the casting department: why did the guy playing his brother have an English accent? I mean, I know the actor is British, but does that ever happen in life where one brother has an American accent, and the other one sounds Japanese?

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The movie looked pretty, but the dancing didn't energize me as much as I had hoped it would, and I can't help but blame the directing, because the choreography seemed strong. Some of the dance scenes are perfect, some have great concepts in them (especially the finale), but sometimes I felt like I wanted to be more inspired to 'get krunk,' and I couldn't help but think that a different camera angle, or a more focused lens, or brighter lighting would've served the energy better.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The script is bearable mainly because there is so little of it. What is there is generic and by the numbers, but if you're going to see this it shouldn't be for the story, it should be for the dancing, which takes up a lot more screen-time than the story anyway.

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

A: If you enjoy hip-hop music you might want to buy the soundtrack, which plays like a strong compilation of modern pop hip-hop songs.

Back To Top

Definitely, Maybe

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A dad (Ryan Reynolds) helps his daughter (Abigail Breslin) understand why he's divorcing her mom, by telling her the story of the three great loves of his life.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Abigail Breslin, Derek Luke, Kevin Kline, Adam Ferrara,

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is a very solid, very real feeling romantic comedy, which happily never gets corny or schmaltzy, but it won't blow your mind or make you want to fall in love.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Ryan Reynolds actually can be funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I was feeling very tired and emotional when I saw it. I even cried during some of the previews... but I did not cry in the film.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It has what it takes to win Best Picture at a Ryan Reynolds Film Festival.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The actors manage to keep even the potentially cheesiest of lines grounded in reality, so the words always feel like someone would actually say them. My only concern is that both Isla Fisher and Rachel Weisz slip out of their American accents once in a while.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Simple and nice. Adam Brooks keeps the actors moving even in the multiple story-telling scenes, which take place on a child's bed.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The interweaving of the three stories gives it a very original feel. The "Mystery-love story" aspect gives the audience something to play along with. And there are some fun new terms, like the idea that when sex is not for the purpose of conception it is, "A Rehearsal."

Back To Top

Fool's Gold

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a newly divorced couple finds themselves on the same billionaire's boat, they must deal with their still-raw emotions for each other, as they team up to find a Spanish treasure buried under the sea.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Alexis Dziena, Ewen Bremner, Ray Winstone, Kevin Hart, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Adam LeFevre, Michael Mulheren

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It is what it is, but what it is isn't half bad... for what it is.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: A little. But don't let that be your main reason for going.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but I've never seen someone get hit in the face as much as McConaughey does in this film, so if you have any reason to dislike him, you will enjoy that. But be warned, he also heals ridiculously quickly... Guess they had to restore that cute little mug of his.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Movie most likely to make you want to go under-water treasure hunting?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Does it really matter when we all know they did this one for the paycheck?

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The action scenes were well covered and easy to follow.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: After you're done suspending disbelief regarding the premise, it's a good idea not to try to follow the logic too closely as to who crashed the boat, where, and why. It's pretty much impossible to comprehend on first viewing (which is the grand total amount of times anyone is going to want to see this story), and you shouldn't have to feel stupid when you get confused by it. So I'm gonna give you a pass on this one, as I gave myself. Just remember to tell yourself that it's deliberately overcomplicated, because they don't want you to understand it, lest you should find holes in the logic.

Back To Top

Charlie Bartlett

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After getting kicked out of every private school in town, Charlie Bartlett is forced to go to public school, where he tries to gain popularity by doling out therapeutic advice and perscription meds to the other kids.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr., Hope Davis, Kat Dennings, Tyler Hilton, Mark Rendall, Megan Park

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. While it comes close to being a modern day Ferris Bueller, the main character only has half the charisma and the story only has a fourth of the heart.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:The other people in the theater laughed more than I did. There were two or three really good lines.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:If it does, you have Robert Downey Jr. and his mind blowing acting to thank.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It would be a good candidate for a Clio (advertising) Award, because it does a great job of conveying the message that prescription Ritalin is fun for all ages. I might even go so far as to speculate that they paid for product placement... Oh, and did you know that it makes high school girls take their tops off?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Robert Downey Jr. is amazing and complex in a role that lesser actors would have phoned in. Kat Dennings is so real looking and acting that you sometimes forget she's an actress. Anton Yelchin has some good scenes and some great moments, but at times there is a depth lacking in his eyes.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Jon Poll's directorial debut is at once commercial and arthouse, seemlessly walking the line between creativity and mainstream accessibility.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:This was a very hot script when it went to market. Gustin Nash's writing became the standard for what a teen movie should read like (until Diablo Cody of Juno-fame dethroned him this year). I have read the script and seen the movie, and while I give him credit for writing characters that may feel real to today's kids, the heart is missing from this story. I was never bored, but I never felt completely engaged either.

Back To Top

Paranoid Park

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A teenage skater's life begins to fall apart when he gets somewhat accused of murder.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Gabe Nevins, Daniel Liu, Taylor Momsen, Jake Miller, Lauren McKinney

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! Unless you don't care about how it ends... because the movie certainly doesn't let you in on that. On a positive note, compared to some of Gus Van Sant's other indies, at least this one has the beginnings of a plot.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Has Gus Van Sant ever made you laugh?

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Has Gus Van Sant ever made you cry?... No really, think about it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Yes, but why?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: This group of naturalistic young unknown actors will go very far.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Over indulgent. Dude needs to learn how to cut. For example, if someone is walking down a hallway, I don't need to see the moment they set foot in the locker-lined part of their high school, all the way to the moment they reach their destination at the other end, unless something of importance is going to happen along the way. The same goes for grassy knolls, and drives along the freeway.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Here's a list of some of the most boring and pointless movies I've ever seen: Last Days, Elephant, Gerry... What do they all have in common? They're all written by the writer of this movie. This is his best work. But that's not saying much. The man just doesn't know story structure.

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

A: The hairstyles.

Back To Top

In Bruges

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The odd couple of hitmen (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) go to Bruges, Belgium to hide out after a botched hit, and find themselves in an interesting debate about life and death.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Clemence Poesy, Jordan Prentice, Jeremie Renier, Thekla Reuten

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Did you know this was a comedy? Neither did I. It's a small, simple story about the human side of being someone who kills people for a living, which walks the line beautifully between comedy and empathy.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: All you need to know is that Belgium is the new Canada. It's an easy target, ripe with humor just based on the fact that it has nothing much to offer. (If you are not British some of the jokes might go over your head, but there are still plenty that will hit the spot.)

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it's sure to offend you, as it knows no boundaries when it comes to making fun of racial, national, and midget groups.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's a bad time to come out if you want to be recognized, but I hope that next year's voters will remember this film for Best Original Screenplay. Who are we kidding, the Academy can't remember anything that happened before November... so I guess we're counting on you BAFTA.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: There are two interesting firsts in this movie. One is Ralph Fiennes playing a working class guy, and the other is Colin Farrell doing a comedy. Ralph Fiennes departs so far from what we've seen him do, that you will actually be shocked when you see him show up on the screen. Colin Farrell's interpretation of his character is very interesting, and he is actually hilarious, but at times his performance feels a little pushed.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: First time feature director, Martin McDonagh, does a good job of insulting Bruges in the dialogue, while painting a love letter to it with the visuals. For all the condescending comments about Bruges, you will actually want to visit it when you're done watching this film.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Excellent. While keeping with the Hollywood structure we all know and love, it manages to feel completely original, unusual, and unprecedented, always surprising you with what comes next. I may even go so far as to say this is the Pulp Fiction of its day.

Back To Top