Bolt 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: In this animated movie, a dog named, Bolt, who lives confined to a sound stage in a Truman Show like world, is led to believe that he has actual superpowers and defends the world from the Green-Eyed Man's evil plan. So when his owner, Penny, gets kidnapped, he goes to her rescue, and ends up in the real world, only to discover that he doesn't have superpowers and he is simply the star of a TV series.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell, James Lipton, Greg Germann, Diedrich Bader, Nick Swardson, J.P. Manoux, Dan Fogelman

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! The premise of a dog who needs to believe he's a real superhero in order to give a convincing performance to an audience of humans is totally ridiculous, and possibly the best reason to see this movie. Other good reasons are: because you are a child, because you have a child, because you wish you were or had a child, and because you like things that are totally cute, sweet, witty and adorable. And let's face it, delusional talking animals on cross-country road trips to save little girls are even more awesome in 3D!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you hate cats, like most well-balanced people, you will appreciate all the laughs at their expense. If you love cats, you should really rethink that, but you will still feel vindicated as they are best characters in the film, and they get all the funny lines that weren't already given to the pigeons. Yes, I am talking about humorous cats and pigeons. I can see you running to buy your ticket now.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There are some moving moments which are especially relatable to domesticated animals that have been abandoned, put in the pound, and released into the wild of the big city to fend for themselves.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: They already got Miley Cyrus, the biggest tween star in the world, to make this her first feature film starring role, so let's spread the good fortune around, by giving the awards to someone else. Nothing whatsoever against this movie, I'm just being a Socialist... er, I mean, "fair."

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Even though he doesn't realize he's just an actor, when he's put to the test, Bolt proves to be a natural talent at it, in a fun sequence where Mr. Mittens, the female cat, has to teach him natural dog tricks like how to act cute so that humans will give you their food. And honorable mention goes to the pigeons who are weirdly wonderful in all their disgustingness, with their quirky neck moves and awkward waddling. I'm pretty sure they must be method actors.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Part road movie, some of these animals must travel from New York to Hollywood, and every city they hit is lit and colored to match real life perfectly. In Vegas they capture the exact color and dryness of the desert, in New York they capture the feeling that dirt and grime is covering every surface, and in Los Angeles they master the classic view of the city, as seen through a layer of muddy smog. And did I mention how cool 3D is?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Every necessary beat is hit, and hit with humor. The only reason not to enjoy this story is because you're pretentious.

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Four Christmases

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When their Christmas day flight to Fiji gets canceled, Brad and Kate (Vince Vaughn & Reese Witherspoon) are forced to try to make it to all four of their divorced parents' Christmas celebrations, running from his dad's, to her mom's, to his mom's, to her dad's.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Mary Steenburgen, Jon Favreau, Dwight Yoakam, Tim McGraw, Kristin Chenoweth, True Bella, Patrick Van Horn, Katy, Mixon, Brian Baumgartner, Cedric Yarbrough, Peter Billingsley, Skyler Gisondo

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Another fun, innocuous Christmas movie that'll scratch your itch but won't go down in Christmas Classic History.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Vince Vaughn does his shtick but the character is too "normal" for him to take it as far as he needs to go to be at his best.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It starts down a promising emotional path of love, family and babies, but never quite gets to the heart of the matter.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: No, but when they remake it 20 years from now, and play out all the missed opportunities and unreached potential this premise contains, it could get an award for best remake.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: This is one of my favorite performances by Jon Favreau, who is finally getting a chance to show us his full range, now that he's too busy being an A-list director to do much acting over and above the bit character parts he plays in his buddy's movies. I also enjoyed seeing Donkey Kong Champion Steve Wiebe, of King of Kong fame, sitting linelessly in the family rooms, posing as Kristen Chenoweth's husband. And if you don't know what I'm talking about here, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Making the jump from a micro-budget documentary (King of Kong: Pocketful of Quarters) to an $80million feature narrative with an all-star cast would be a daunting task for anyone. Seth Gordon pulls it off, but I think with his next film, he will be more relaxed and have a chance to take a few more exploratory risks with the camera blocking. That said, his editing background really pays off in the action-comedy sequences, where he manages to convey a lot of actions and related emotions in only a few short seconds.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The concept of how you don't fully know someone until you've spent time with their family is an interesting arena, but the conflicts that arise are resolved too quickly and easily, never giving them a chance to build on each other and compile, which would have created a more palpable tension, and in turn, would have caused a resolution to feel more satisfactory.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/four-christmases/25133/trailers

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Pray the Devil Back to Hell

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: This documentary reveals the unpublicized story of how the Christian and Muslim women of Liberia banded together in peaceful protest to stop the Civil War that had plagued, tortured and paralyzed their country since 1989.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: A few greedy, corrupt Liberian men clamoring for money and power, and a massive amount of Liberian women clamoring for peace, community, and a world in which their children don’t have to run from AK47s every day.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Finally a movie that shows the positive ways in which a Church and a Mosque can influence change... Together! These women put their spiritual differences aside to lead by example, showing the men in their world that positive actions of love can be more powerful than violence.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It’s never funny when you’re forced to remember all the reasons why it makes more sense for women to be ruling the world, followed by all the reasons why they’re not.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Especially if you are a woman or a male feminist-- and I don’t mean the kind who just says he is to get laid.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It was short-listed for the Academy Awards, but it’s not going to win for two reasons: 1) the production quality is very low-rent, and 2) they are self-distributing, which means there will be no big company putting dollars behind that all-important Oscar campaign. Hopefully, producer Abigail E. Disney (great-niece of Walt) will realize from her upbringing that they’re counting on her to make it happen.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: These people will make you proud to be a woman. Unless you’re not one, in which case they will give you vagina envy.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Adventuresome is the first word that comes to mind, when you think about the fact that they stood right in the middle of a guerrilla war, pointing cameras at pre-teens holding guns, which are pointed right back at them… The production quality is very “PBS”, but the story is engrossing enough that you won’t care.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Incredible. Inspiring. And it will make you ask yourself what you have done lately to make your world a better place. Think about it. What have you done for “we” lately?

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

A: Gandhi said that when you try to enact change peacefully there are four reactions you must go through. First they will ignore you. Then they will laugh at you. Then they will try to hurt you. Then they will talk to you. Once you know what to expect, perhaps standing up for change doesn’t have to be so hard.

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Twilight

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A teenage girl moves from her Phoenix home to the small town of Forks in the Pacific Northwest where she meets and falls in love with a vampire. Problems ensue.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Michael Welch, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Cam Giganet, Taylor Lautner, Anna Kendrick, Justin Chon, Elizabeth Reaser, Rachelle Lefevre, Edi Gathegi

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! I know what you're thinking, "Isn’t this that cheesy vampire movie based on that cheesy teen girl book? You’re telling me to go? Really?" Yeah, really, especially since the film is better than the book and it’s an all-around entertaining night at the movies whether you’re a teen girl or not (I am not).

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Everyone knows there’s nothing funnier than deadpan vampire-humor. Plus, Robert Pattinson (as Edward) displays uncanny comic timing as he gets off some good lines that are (purposely) funny in their absurdity.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Probably not. Unless you’re a girl. And 15. And in love with the hottie at school who may or may not be a vampire but nevertheless is very cool.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It'll sweep MTV and the Teen Choice Awards, but do those buy it any credibility?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Anyone who has read the bestselling book knows it’s all about the teenage protagonists Bella and Edward, and boy do Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson deliver on these characters. They are one of the primary reasons the film surpasses the book, as both take material that could have been 100% camp and 100% crap and make it all work beautifully. Pattinson brings out all facets of the angsty and menacing sides of his 80 year-old vampire and Stewart deftly keeps her Bella from becoming a trite and shallow teen girl by conveying intelligence and grace. Their chemistry together works on every level and that is everything for a film like this. If you want to see a great example of two young, gifted actors raising the level of the material they’re in, then Twilight is worth seeing for that reason alone.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It all works and moves along at a brisk pace and Catherine Hardwicke shows off the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with plenty of stunning panoramic helicopter shots that keep the film grounded in a strong sense of place. She also gets credit for finding just the right overall tone for the film that gives it the gravity it should have, yet retains a sly sense of humor about it. One only wishes she had been given a bigger budget to make some of the effects and Spider-Man like climbing scenes look better and more believable. (Edward’s skin in sunlight = cheesy sparkling effect,) After this film makes a gazillion dollars, I’m sure Hardwicke will have that budget for the sequel.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Melissa Rosenberg does a great job adapting Stephanie Meyer’s much-beloved book. Having read the novel recently, I can say that she collapses and condenses much of the repetitive dialogue down to its essence which makes for a more tolerable story that plays better to a wider audience. And judging from the 200 or so screaming teen girls that were in the theater when I saw it, she was also able to satisfy their demand for staying true to the plot and characters of the book. Good work Melissa, here’s hoping you’re hired to write the coming sequels! (There are 4 books in the series.)

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Nothing Like the Holidays

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Another ensemble holiday movie about the drama that ensues when families get together for Christmas. Only this time, the family is Puerto Rican!

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Pena, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Freddy Rodriguez, Vanessa Ferlito, Jay Hernandez, Luis Guzman, Melonie Diaz, Ramses Jimenez

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you've ever been home for the holidays, this movie will feel familiar to you. It will also feel familiar if you've ever seen The Family Stone, This Christmas, or Home for the Holidays. Hey, it's nothing new, but it will satisfy your annual craving for holiday-themed films about a family that's almost as messed up as yours.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It will certainly try.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Also an A for effort.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Well, it's got the Latin thing going for it, which qualifies it for some awards that films of other ethnicities might not be in the running for. But if you're into Latin hotties, you're probably just gonna want to give it the Best Eye Candy Award.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Surprisingly, Alfred Molina is not up to his usual amazingness. His acting is fine, but his accent goes from White to Scarface and everything in between, depending on the scene. Elizabeth Pena, playing his wife, does the cooking, the cleaning, and the good acting in this one.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Clearly the work of someone looking to have an illustrious career in TV. Hey, TV has gotten very fancy these days.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It does a great job of capturing that eerie way in which being around family brings your emotions from the happiest highs to the angriest lows and back in the most unpredictable and instantaneous ways. But every time the story tries to deal with the son who has just returned traumatized from Iraq, the dialogue becomes trite, corny and cliche, like, "Why'd it have to be me and not him?"  While I'm sure that survivors guilt is a common pain that veterans suffer, there's something about it that just seems to come off cheesy in films about Iraq vets. (Which is not to take credit away from Stop Loss, which is the only film that I've seen capture those feelings well, so far.)

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

A: My friend left the theater wishing she was Puerto Rican, so they must've done something right!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/nothing-like-the-holidays/33265/trailers

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I.O.U.S.A.

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: This documentary tells the story of how we accumulated our gigantic National Debt, and how its increasing severity could bring the American Empire to an end.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: David Walker, Warren Buffet, Robert Rubin, Robert Bixby, Alan Greenspan, Paul Volcker... For those of you who don't have an MBA, these are all financial experts, most of whom have worked at the highest levels of government.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Because you need to know... Even though it will give you a panic attack.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There is a funny clip from a Saturday Night Live advertisement for a book that teaches you how to stay out of debt. It's called, "Don't Buy Stuff You Can't Afford."

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Obviously.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It was shortlisted today for the Academy Awards.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: It's refreshing to see government officials speaking so candidly about bad news. And by "refreshing" I mean, "Please go back to lying to me."

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Sometimes there are too many graphs and charts on the screen at once, and you're not sure where your eye is supposed to go... I suppose there is a lot to explain, in not very much time, but trying to make us think you're smart by confusing us with visual aids is not playing fair.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This film does a nice job of putting all this complicated mumbo-jumbo into terms anyone with an 8th Grade education can understand.

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

A: It may be a tough one to find, but it's worth tracking down on Netflix or PBS if it's not playing at a theater near you.

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Doubt

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A nun (Meryl Streep) tries to take down a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who she believes has seduced one of the children.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Joseph Foster

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. While they manage to avoid making any outrightly disparaging remarks about sex and the clergy, by keeping the battle between two of its committed members (a priest and a nun), the ultimate conclusion that the story comes to feels more intellectual than emotional, and for that, the movie ends up feeling less important than it should.  On the other hand, for those interested in an exercise in thinking, rather than feeling, you may have fodder, as many of the sermons are interesting, and the clergy makes for a perfect setting within which to explore themes of faith versus doubt.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: This movie is so totally devoid of humor that it's hard to believe it comes from the writer of Moonstruck and the producer of Clueless.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It's too heady to incite those emotions, but when Viola Davis cries her nose runs and she licks it up. Eiw. Was there no one on set to give this woman a tissue?!

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: All Meryl Streep has to do to get an Academy Award nomination is be in a movie. But if she has to get one this year, it would be more original to see her get it for Mamma Mia!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Watching such pros as Streep and Hoffman battle it out in scene after scene is a true pleasure to anyone who appreciates fine acting. Their performances, as well as Amy Adams'-- who's always delightful--, are the number one reason to see this film.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Shanley opens it up a little from the staged version, but it still feels like a play. That said, if you like theater, you will probably like this play. On the other hand, any good theater aficionado should have already seen it.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: When I was an acting student at UCLA, I remember always wanting to do scenes from such John Patrick Shanley plays as Danny and the Deep Blue Sea and Women of Manhattan. I also remember then sitting down to read the entirety of his plays and never finding them to be as  moving as the individual scenes within them. That is also true of this movie, where there is a plethora of highly intense, dramatic, and well thought-out scenes interwoven into a story that amounts to not very much.  

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

A: Before seeing this movie, I had never stopped to think about how severely sexism is woven into the church. In the hierarchy, Mother Superior is the highest ranking for a woman, which is below Priest-- the lowest ranking for a man. How can women ever gain equality in a world where the primary religion suppresses their rights to it completely? I'm just saying.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/doubt/29875/trailers

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Frost/Nixon

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: British talk show host, David Frost (Michael Sheen), gets a chance to interview Richard Nixon (Frank Langella), after his impeachment, in the hopes of getting him to confess to his crimes.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Michael Sheen, Frank Langella, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall, Matthew Macfadyen, Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, Clint Howard, Toby Jones

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's yet another opportunity to learn something about the history of the 1970s without having to think too hard. And much like Milk, it also has a strange timeliness, as a fallen President tries to rebuild a legacy that will hopefully be more impressive than the truth.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only when you least expect it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Almost. But mostly it serves as a good reminder never to drunk dial!... That may have been Nixon's biggest mistake.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: While Frank Langella looks hardly anything like Nixon (I don't even think he gets the ethnicity right), he does manage to channel his energy and his expressions in a way that will most likely get him a nod. But if he's up against Josh Brolin playing W. they could presidentially cancel each other out for the win. In any case, between them and Sean Penn in Milk, this is shaping up to be a very political race for the Oscar. And we thought that after November 4th we could finally get a break from all that!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: This is really Michael Sheen's movie, and he totally owns it, bringing with him the essence of the 70s from the hair to the goofy look on his face.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Though it's based on a play, Ron Howard manages to keep it feeling cinematic.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's hard to deny the talent that it takes to write a script that keeps things moving, when your source material is two men sitting in chairs.  Peter Morgan's script feels like a boxing match, despite the fact that both men are pinned to their seats.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/frost/trailers

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Milk

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The true story of the first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), and how he pioneered the gay civil rights movement in San Francisco in the 70s.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Alison Pill, Lucas Grabeel, Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare, Joseph Cross, Howard Rosenman, Brandon Boyce, Kelvin Yu, Stephen Spinella, Anita Bryant

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! This movie about political actions which took place 30 years ago couldn't be more timely today, as we juxtapose the election of our first Black president with the overturning of the ruling that gays have the right to marry. The parallels between that time and this one make you question how much progress we've really made, all while feeling inspired about how far we've come. I'm so confused...

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Put a bunch of gay guys in a room together for two hours, and something is bound to make you laugh.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you don't know how this story goes, your chance of tears is high. Likewise, if you're a bigot, a Nazi, a skinhead, a member of the KKK, or any other organization based on hate and segregation (yes, I'm talking about right-wing fundamentalist Christians), you may also cry, but for a whole different set of reasons.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Sean Penn's portrayal of the gay supervisor makes you want to look for him in the race for Oscar-- or even in a gay bar near you.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Playing gay seems to come a little too naturally to most of these actors. It's almost like they've waited their whole lives for a chance to come out of the closet for these roles. I'd especially like to congratulate Lucas Grabeel of High School Musical fame, who without changing his performance from one movie to the next, fits right into this group of men coming up and coming out in the Castro... Which brings me back to my long standing theory, that fans shouldn't be so surprised when they find out that their favorite actors are secretly gay. Most of our biggest celebrities started out doing theater in high school. And everyone remembers the nickname male theater geeks were donned with in high school. So why do they think that just because they grew up and became sexy and famous that would change? Now, I'm not saying all actors are gay... Just most of them.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Ah, Gus Van Sant, we have such a tumultuous relationship, you and I. While I don't hate your work on the movies you don't write (like this one), I can't help but still get annoyed at all the gratuitous male bodies that are featured so deliberately in your films, as if their sole purpose is so you can ask hot young men to take off their clothes, without having to seem like the pervert that I'm starting to think you are. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a nice bit of eye candy in my films, and in this film about the gay 70s, it's actually quite appropriate.   But I can't help but be reminded of the similar images from your past films (like Paranoid Park, Last Days, and Elephant), where the shirtlessness of some 16-year-old unknown actor seemed pre-meditavely orchestrated  for the sole purpose of exploitation by a man in a position of power.  Like the boy who cried wolf, it now lessens my ability to enjoy the perfect curves of a James Franco or Diego Luna, but especially of Josh Brolin, for whom the shirtless scene seems totally out of character-- he is, after all, the voice of conservatism in the film-- and his shirtlessness took me out of it.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The writer manages to circumvent many of the usual trappings of a biopic, by encasing the narrative in a narration that is delivered by Harvey Milk into a Dictaphone, and also by focusing only on the parts of the story that need to be told to move the plot along and get the political points across.

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

A: I don't often get a chance to share anything personal about myself in this blog, but in this case I must. I was raised in the Castro, and Harvey Milk ran my district. I was very young, and Milk's campaign signs in all the neighborhood windows formed my first recollection of what it meant to vote and have elections. Milk shopped at our supermarket, and we bought film at his camera store, and when I saw him, I told him that my Daddy voted for him. As a young child, I was very proud that my Daddy would vote for a man with such a cool name. I could only have been prouder if his name had been Chocolate Milk.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/milk/32261/trailers

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The Wrestler

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When an aging professional wrestler's body starts to give up on him (Mickey Rourke), he is forced to realize that he has nothing left but his limited celebrity-- and celebrity doesn't pay the bills or fill the heart.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Mark Margolis, Todd Barry, Wass Stevens, Judah Friedlander, Ernest Miller, Dylan Summers, Tommy Farra

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. There are only two reasons to see this film. 1) You love the gore of professional wrestling. Or 2) You want to see Marisa Tomei naked and gyrating... Okay, so that second reason's not such a bad one.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It's a Darren Aronofsy film, so not very much, to say the least.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you've ever been to New Jersey, the images of that depressing and desolate armpit of a place could bring back some painful memories.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Many of the critics are predicting it will, which makes me want to line them up and shoot them.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Mickey Rourke does make a massive comeback in this film, but that's not reason enough to sit through it. Marisa Tomei proves yet again that her Academy Award was not just a fluke-- only this time, she does it with no clothes on! And Evan Rachel Wood is the same as she ever was.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Not nearly as visually interesting as Requiem for a Dream, but Aronofsky does use little tricks to remind us that he's a professional, like continually shooting Rourke from behind, so that it always looks like he's about to enter a wrestling arena.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story makes some interesting parallels between the way a wrestler and a stripper start out glamorous in their youth, only to become ridiculous as they age. Unfortunately for people in both professions, the bills don't go away just because you've passed 35 and outlived your usefulness. Yes, the movie is that depressing.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/the%20wrestler/trailers

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Slumdog Millionaire

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An orphan from the slums of Bombay relives his difficult childhood through a game of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Irfan Khan, Anil Kapoor, Madhur Mittal, and a bunch of fantastic child actors whose names are nowhere to be found on the internet, and race by much too quickly in the end credits. Total ageism, I say!

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It is your destiny. I know the description sounds too meta for school, but it's actually really cool, inventive, and even a little bit spiritual-- especially if you believe that everything happens for a reason.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The humor is very subtle and highbrow, so if you're afraid of the sound of one man laughing, you should try to do it quietly.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Though it is moving, there are no real tear-jerking moments. In other emotionally disturbing news, including The Black Balloon and Zack & Miri Make a Porno, this is the third movie I've seen IN A ROW, with an extended graphic sequence about poop! I'm only now realizing how many different colors and textures it comes in. Lucky for me, bad things happen in threes, so I have hope that the next film I see will be poopless. Lucky for you, you've been warned.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: A. R. Rahman, who is known as the John Williams of Bollywood-- only more famous-- is highly likely to acquire an Oscar nomination for his score. And actually, it's even got a solid chance at Best Picture in the smaller races, like the Independent Spirit Awards.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: As we see 3 generations of each character (who are cast surprisingly well to look like each other), it is always impressive when the youngest versions of the characters are the most fun to watch. Perhaps it's because they're so uninhibited, but maybe it's because they're so little and cute... And speaking of good-looking, the grown up version of the girl, Freida Pinto, who has never acted in a movie before-- though you'd have no way of knowing from this performance--, looks like Indian Barbie... I think she may be one of the most beautiful women in the world.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: High energy and beautifully descriptive, even in the ugliest and most downtrodden of neighborhoods. If you've seen Trainspotting, then you know that Danny Boyle has a gift for making nasty, dirty things look exhilarating.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's something I have never seen before, both in structure and in content. You will be entertained and learn about the culture of a far away place, without having to smell its stench. Sorry, India, but I can tell just by looking at you that you stink like rotting flesh.

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

A: Paper Planes by M. I. A., the same song that is highly featured in Pineapple Express, is also used ad-nauseam in this film. Music creates such an important visceral association, that I think there should be a law against musicians being allowed to sell a song to more than one movie soundtrack within the same 5 year period-- Unless, of course, it's a spoof trying to recall the original movie the song incites. Bottom line, M. I. A. is a whore.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/slumdog-millionaire/31044/trailers

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RockNRolla

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A real-estate scam leads some underworld tough-guys to millions in cash, but not before a lot of double-crosses with a lot of colorful characters set in the colorful city of London.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, Jeremy Piven, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Mark Strong, Karl Roden, Jimi Mistry, Toby Kebbell, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. RockNRolla signals a nice return to form for writer/director Guy Ritchie, so if you loved Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, you will eat this up. If thick British accents, dark humor and plot-twists for days aren’t your thing, then maybe skip it.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: When criminals, Russian mobsters, gay and straight tough-guys and sexy accountants are all this smart, this dumb, this lucky and this snake-bitten, it’s hard not to laugh. But fortunately, you’re supposed to.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No. If you want to see a Guy Ritchie movie that’ll make you cry, go rent Swept Away. On second thought, don’t, I can't want to be responsible for your suicide.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Probably not, but there would be no shame in seeing Tom Wilkinson and newcomer (at least to America) Toby Kebbell (as rocker Johnny Quid) get acting nominations.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: It’s all so natural that it makes you forget how good everyone is, and it’s always nice to see some fresh faces that are lesser known on American shores. How does Tom Wilkinson find these roles year in and year out and become such completely different characters? He’s amazing. Gerard Butler is slyly funny, confident and freaked-out all at the same time. And one more mention to Toby Kebbell (I know: Who!?) as the RocknRoller (i.e. singer) who wants to be a RocknRolla (i.e. gangster) that everyone is trying to find. He starts out as a side-note, until you realize he’s the most pivotal character in the film, and probably the most interesting.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Guy Ritchie is never at a loss for directing with true style that doesn’t come off as showy, but rather informs his story and characters. RockNRolla is less hyper than his past films, but in this case, that’s a good thing.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The thin plot is what makes RockNRolla a lesser film than either Snatch or Lock, Stock…, but it’s just engaging enough to keep you interested. And after an over-explained set-up that can be hard to follow, it doesn’t turn out to be that hard to follow. The final intersection of the two divergent stories could have been smoother, but that’s a minor quibble. Overall, it’s a satisfying framework in which to let these oddball characters loose, so they can rattle around and bump up against each other for two hours.

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The Black Balloon

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An Australian coming of age drama about a teenage boy (Rhys Wakefield) who tries to lead a normal life, despite the fact that his older brother (Luke Ford) has autism and ADD.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Toni Collette, Erik Thomson, Gemma Ward, Firass Dirani

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's beautiful to watch how this family stands by each other as chaos ensues all around them due to their uncontrollable autistic son, but unless you have similarities to the people and situations in the story, their pain isn't always that relatable.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you think it's okay to laugh at retarded people acting retarded. Which, of course, you don't.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: The person I saw it with cried, but I asked her why, and her reasons were personal. No, I swear, I'm not telling.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won some Australian Award for writing, but their film industry is pretty small, so I can't vouch for how important that is.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The two young leads, Rhys Wakefield and Gemma Ward, are very easy on the eyes and will probably have big careers ahead of them. The two boys playing the autistic kids are of more questionable talent, but since I don't have any first hand experience with autistic kids, it's hard for me to judge how accurately they were portrayed. All I can do is refer you back to Tropic Thunder, where we learned that it's never a safe bet to go full-retard.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Elissa Down is young, cute, and would do well in a meeting-- in other words, she has what it takes to slowly chip away at that oh-so-lopsided ratio of female to male directors. The fact that she cut her teeth doing 6 short films before tackling her first feature (that's 5 more than most people do), proves that she means business. And the added bonus that she's already attracting talent like Toni Collette, should give her some pull if she plans to make her move to the Hollywood studios.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Some interesting arenas are tackled but not pinned. The script is subtle, and the beats are hit, but there's not quite enough of an emotional spine pulling you through, from incident to incident as the autistic boy acts out and the normal boy suffers for it.

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

A: This is the second film I've seen in the last two days containing a graphic poop scene. Please don't let this become a movie-making trend. Nobody wants to see that.

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Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Zack and Miri (Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks), who have been best friends since the first grade and are currently roommates, realize that the only way they're going make their rent and get their heat and water turned back on is to make a porno... What they don't realize is that sex is called "F*#cking" because it always f*#ks everything up.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Gerry Bednob, Jeff Anderson, Katie Morgan, Ricky Mabe, Traci Lords, Justin Long, Brandon Routh, Tisha Campbell-Martin

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Don't expect a Judd Apatow film, just because it stars Seth Rogen. This is a Kevin Smith film, with Kevin Smith humor-- which can be recognized by the fact that there are just as many swear words, but only half the cleverness. That said, if you like Kevin Smith, this is one of his better movies, and you should see it.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Again, if you like Kevin Smith, you'll laugh a lot. For people with higher standards, there are just enough laughs so you don't leave angry-- which is nice.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but there is a scene which rivals 2 girls 1 cup, so that's gross. But the good news is the scene in this movie loses the challenge.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Title Most Likely to Garner Free Publicity from People Least Likely to see it.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: You always forget how funny Jason Mewes is, because he never does anything besides Kevin Smith films and rehab. Craig Robinson, who has been creating a signature style since Knocked Up and Pineapple Express, officially catapults himself into the comedy elite with this role. And Elizabeth Banks is prettier than she's ever been before-- which is especially strange considering these characters have no money for water to shower or electricity to blow dry, and yet her curls are always perfect.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I have to say, this is the area in which Kevin Smith has shown the most improvement over the years. I used to get annoyed by the fact that he wasn't upgrading his indy-style shooting to match his studio-style paychecks. But this one actually looks like a studio movie, and nothing about the directing annoyed me.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: If you know the title-- which you do-- it's mostly predictable. The set-up works well and is originally done, but once they get into making the porn there's not much that happens that you didn't see coming. (Pun unintended, and yet perfectly be-fitting.)

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

A: This movie is rated R despite the fact that it's about shooting a porno because they manage to keep it clean... save the full frontal nudity and the scenes about people doing it.

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