Adventureland

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After graduating from college, James Bennan (Jesse Eisenberg) discovers that his parents can no longer afford to send him on vacation to Europe, and instead he’s going to have to get a summer job at Adventureland, running games and giving out stuffed toys to the winners.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Starr, Matt Bush, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Paige Howard, Dan Bittner, Margarita Levieva, Wendie Malick, Jack Gilpin, Michael Zegen, Mary Birdsong, Josh Pais

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. What they’re selling as a comedy from the director of Superbad is actually a coming of age drama about a boy falling in love and smoking dope at work—but not in a funny way, like on That 70’s Show. It takes place in 1987, and is obviously a semi-autobiographical trip down memory lane for writer-director Greg Mattola, but the angst that he must have felt that summer, does not translate in a visceral way to the audience, so aside from the soundtrack—which includes everything 1987, from David Bowie to The Cure to Husker Du—this film won’t feel nearly as nostalgic for anyone who wasn’t actually one of Mattola’s co-workers that fateful—or maybe average-- summer.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not nearly as much as you expect it to. But then again, Kristen Wiig has about 3 good minutes of screen time, so that at least guarantees 2 ½ minutes of laughter. What I’m saying is that everything she does is funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: More like, wanna eat a pot cookie and then a huge plate of pasta, while discussing your future with your parents.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: : I’m gonna give Kristen Stewart the award for Most Interchangeable Performance by an Actress. If she had shot her pouty and brooding performance up against a blue screen, they could easily use it for the sequel to Twilight.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are hardly in it enough. But Martin Starr (who played the guy growing out his beard in Knocked Up) is a good character with an original voice.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There are some parts where the movie drags and it could’ve been paced up in editing, because as you can tell from this sentence, a thing can get boring very fast, even when it’s only dragging on for a minute here or there, and it feels like too much because it’s still going, and you don’t really care anymore, because you’ve checked out and you’re thinking about something else now, like your high school sweetheart, or what you’d like to eat as soon as you’re not reading this sentence, or something that you like, or maybe that you don’t like, wow, I could do this forever, but I think you would all stop reading my reviews if I don’t just stop now.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The biggest problem is that there is no driving force pulling you through the movie. You only casually know what the main characters want, in the big picture. They have personal problems they’re all dealing with, none of which are truly dealt with or resolved, and yet the story has very little conflict, and hardly any obstacles standing in anyone’s way. But again, on a nostalgia level, it’s vaguely satisfying.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/adventureland/30988/trailers

Back To Top

Monsters vs. Aliens 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young woman (Reese Witherspoon) gets hit by a meteor on her wedding day, and suddenly becomes the 50 foot woman. Now she must save the world from an alien attack.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Who isn't? Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert, Paul Rudd, Julie White, Jeffrey Tambor, Amy Poehler, Ed Helms, plus Renee Zellweger and John Krasinski in parts so small, I don't even remember who they were! Can anyone tell me who the characters named Katie and Cuthbert were?

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Although it is entertaining and without flaws, this alien invasion will not blow you away.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Seth Rogen is in it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Before the wedding there's a touching moment where the main character's father cries a little at the thought of having to give her away. It reminds me that this is the perfect opportunity to say, "I love you, Dad!"

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Well it's not Pixar, which naturally reduces its chances of winning an Oscar in the animation category to zero, but considering it made almost $60 million on its opening weekend, it's certainly good for a nomination.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I was impressed at how many of the actors managed to make their voices unrecognizable by using unlikely accents to portray their characters. Among them, Rainn Wilson doing an evil British accent, Kiefer Sutherland doing a militant southern accent, and Amy Poehler doing a computer.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I sprung for the 3D version, and I have to say there aren't nearly enough 3D effects to justify the extra $3.50. I counted only 5 moments where they really took advantage of the medium, and 2 of them were in the first minute of the movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story is fine, but I think it's high time we get clear on what officially qualifies as a "Monster." Because while they are certainly freaks of nature, from what I can see each of them is a person or thing that got in a freak accident that caused them a mutation, which gave them superhuman powers, thereby propelling them into a life of fighting crime. And in our culture, that's the definition of a "Superhero."

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/monsters-vs-aliens/28117/trailers

Back To Top

Sugar

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Miguel “Sugar” Santos, an aspiring professional baseball player from the Dominican Republic tries his hand at making it to the American Major Leagues.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Algenis Perez Soto, Rayniel Rufino, Andre Holland, Michael Gaston, Ellen Porterfield, Richard Bull, Ann Whitney, Jaime Tirelli

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It’s an interesting perspective on one particular type of immigration, but the story takes an unexpected left turn, which on a positive note makes it less predictable, but on a negative note makes it less gratifying. None the less, there’s some fun to be had in the efforts of a foreigner trying to acclimate himself to certain strange American customs, like eating French toast covered in sugar sauce, and the concept that just because an American girl dances with you, it doesn’t mean she wants anything else.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: One thing I thought was funny, was that the kid from the Dominican Republic was so impressed with the size of his Minor League paycheck, that he went ahead and sent most of it home. (For those of you not familiar with how badly Minor League players are paid, his proud smile came from a paycheck just slightly over $500.)

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It’s sad to be reminded that no matter how fun your hobby is, when you make it your job it starts to feel like a tedious chore. No matter if it’s baseball, painting, or writing movie reviews.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance last year, and a Best Screenplay at the Independent Spirit Awards this year, but that was probably only because it's by the writer-directors of the previous years' winners for Half-Nelson.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The directors found the main cast by going around to the different baseball academies in the Dominican Republic asking players if they wanted to try out for a movie. So it’s no wonder the guy they cast in the lead was the 429th person they saw. That said, their patience paid off, because his performance is very strong. The down side is now this poor Dominican kid is determined to pursue an acting career. Hopefully, he'll get as excited about a $500 paycheck as his character does, because he's likely to be able to make at least that much as a busboy.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: : In a continued effort to make their work look “indy,” Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden avoided showing any close ups of balls hitting bats and gloves. This unfortunately makes it difficult to follow the majority of the baseball plays, and you are forced to find out how the plays are going by watching the expressions on the actors' faces.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The filmmakers, who were already baseball fanatics, were inspired to tell this story when they found out that most of the teams in the MLB have Academies in the Dominican Republic, because most of the kids in the Dominican Republic have dreams of becoming baseball players. And hey, their system isn’t half stupid considering this is how they found David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, and Sammy Sosa.

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

A: Did you know that there are families that host these players, giving them free room and board in their homes when they come to play in the US? It goes to show that our love of our National pastime supersedes our hatred of foreigners crossing our borders.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

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

Back To Top

Race to Witch Mountain

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A skeptical cab driver (Dwayne Johnson) picks up a pair of child aliens (AnnaSophia Robb & Alexander Ludwig), and they all run from the government, an alien monster, and some mafia thugs, as they attempt to save their planet and ours from imminent destruction.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig, Carla Gugino, Ciaran Hinds, Tom Everett Scott, Chris Marquette, Billy Brown, Garry Marshall, and from the original, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If I were Simon Cowell, I might say, "You didn't make it your own." If I were Randy Jackson, I would add a "Dawg" to that. And if I were Paula Abdul I would say, "I like cake." But what they all mean is, it's all there, except for the charm.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only once, thanks to the well written dialogue of a non-speaking dog named, Junkyard.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I cried when I found out that there were no witches on the mountain, or anywhere else in the film. Maybe they meant to spell it "Which" mountain. That would've made more sense, in the context of a film that asks the question, "Hey, which mountain is our space craft hidden on?"

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Well, it is the Best Movie I've seen this year for boys 7 to 11 years old. And since it's made by Disney, I can't imagine it'll get a Nickelodeon award... unless the lesson of the day at Nickelodeon is "share-nice."

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The kids' speech patterns are purposely stilted, for the purpose of proving to the audience that they're aliens. So when you cast The Rock next to that, who delivers every line with his signature stiffness, it's sometimes hard to decipher who is supposed to be human. But when it comes to the physicality of being an action hero, Dwayne Johnson is the most believable one they've got. With his gargantuan biceps, you actually believe he could knock an alien-created, robot-soldier off his feet with a single punch.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing captures all the action appropriately, I only wish some of it didn't contain the types of hokey effects you would find on a ride at Disneyland. But it is a recession, so maybe Disney is cutting back by creating the ride first, and then shooting the movie on it.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It is choreographed like an old standard: And 1) and present the skeptic, and 2) and introduce him to aliens, and 3) have them running from everyone until he believes they exist, and kick-ball-change, chassé, and spin!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/race-to-witch-mountain/33071/trailers

Back To Top

Knowing

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A scientist (Nicolas Cage) gets his hands on a series of numbers that has been buried underground for the last 50 years, and realizes that it is a pattern predicting all the major death inducing accidents that have happened since then... Only the list isn't done yet, and the next major disaster is coming tomorrow.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Nicolas Cage, Chandler Canterbury, Rose Byrne, D.G. Maloney, Lara Robinson, Nadia Townsend, Ben Mendelsohn

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. What a great premise! What would you do if you knew in advance that something bad would happen? Could you find a way to stop it? Would knowing make you feel more relaxed, or more stressed out? Would you take full advantage of your last hours on Earth if you knew the end was near? These are all interesting questions, most of which are not addressed in the film... And then the aliens come.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: By the end, I was laughing a lot inside my head.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: And crying inside my head, too, about how they took such an interesting opportunity to explore the hypothetical questions that have been on all of our minds since we developed analytical thinking skills in the second grade, and instead of mining it for gold, they mined it for human manure.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Let's start with the Most Illogical Character Choices Ever! Award. Everything that a normal, logical person would do if faced with these circumstances, Nicolas Cage does the opposite of... But at least his character is consistent.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I always enjoy Nicolas Cage when he plays off-beat characters like in Adaptation, Raising Arizona and Valley Girl. Likewise I regularly find him over the top and annoying in this schmaltzy stuff where he tries to be an action hero. Rose Byrne looks a lot like Jennifer Connelly, so that was confusing me. But the kids are pretty good.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing is the primary reason why this movie stays exciting, even during the scenes that defy all reason. The musical score and the sweeping shots of Cage running add a level of thrill-ride that clearly rises above anything that would have been described on the written page.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It seems to be going for some sort of faith-based message, but I couldn't tell which faith it was attempting to kowtow to. First, it leans toward preaching that there is a Heaven... And then the aliens come.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/knowing/32271/trailers

Back To Top

I Love You, Man

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After getting engaged, a mature, grown up man (Paul Rudd) realizes that he has no close friends to call, "Best Man." So he seeks out his perfect mate by going on "man dates," and soon finds himself deeply entrenched in a Bromance with a guy who is his polar opposite, a commitment-phobe with a Peter Pan complex (Jason Segel).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Sarah Burns, Jamie Pressly, Jon Favreau, Jane Curtin, J.K. Simmons, Andy Sandberg, Thomas Lennon, Rob Huebel, Mather Zickel, Josh Cooke, Joe Lo Tuglio, and Lou Ferrigno as Himself.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! While the premise is outlandish, this character driven comedy remains grounded in reality, as it explores how hard it is to make new male friends once you're past the age of 30. And also, it's hilarious.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The regularly scheduled awkward moments have the audience laughing so hard that you might miss some of the dialogue.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: One thing that's sad is that in real life this love affair could never be because, as an Angeleno, I promise you that a guy who lives in Silverlake would never purposely become friends with anyone who lives in Venice. Likewise, most Venice inhabitants are proud to be AWOL-- Always West Of Lincoln. And they usually own at least one T-shirt that says so. (But if you come for a visit, slap that insider lingo on a Westsider, and I guarantee they'll be impressed.)

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's hard to escape a nomination for Best Kiss at the MTV Awards when you've got man on man action. What? You didn't know this is a movie about gay love? Did you not read the title?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Paul Rudd is an understated master of something intangible. It's awkward. It's real. And sometimes it breaks out into song-- or dance. Who is this man? Is he a straight arrow? Or is he a total freak? Only those who have seen him behind closed doors can know for sure. But the biggest laughs for me come from that hot new director, Jon Favreau, who goes back to his acting roots, to play an a-hole of unmatched proportions. I love him more with every role, Man.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There are some shots that are genius, like one at the engagement party, where Jon Favreau walks into the center of a frame to insult the restaurant they're at, right in front of the owner. And there are some sequences, like the first fencing and locker room scenes, where you can't tell where you are in the scene, or where any of the characters are standing in relation to each other, because the director 'crosses the line'-- there's more insider lingo for you, but if you're going to see this movie, you're going to have to get used to that.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The scenes from the previews are all much funnier in the context of the actual film, where they are often grounded in something bigger and more important than a fart. This movie has all the requisite set ups and pay offs, and some of them, you won't even see coming. The ending is a little abrupt, but if you stay tuned for the credits, you'll enjoy a nice little tag that wraps up the hanging threads nicely, and contains my personal favorite laugh in the whole film.

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

A: Rare shout out to the costume designer who clothed Jason Segel. His casual outfits are ridiculous and familiar-- as he nonchalantly sports Ugg boots with shorts, like a true Venice local. But his formal-wear is where the costume designer, Leesa Evans, shows true insight, fitting all his suits a size too small, as if he has recently grown outward of them and not yet noticed that he needs to go shopping... Or to the gym.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/i-love-you-man/32120/trailers

Back To Top

The Great Buck Howard

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A law school drop out (Colin Hanks) takes a job as a personal assistant to a mentalist (John Malkovich) who is past his prime, and in complete denial of the fact that he no longer matters. Basically, it's The Wrestler with a magician, minus the depressing tone and the naked stripper.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Colin Hanks, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Ricky Jay, Steve Zahn, Adam Scott, Griffin Dunne, Patrick Fischler, Wallace Langham, Tom Hanks (uncredited), and 90% of the talk show hosts you can think of.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Yet another movie that makes you ask "why?" Why bother? Why not? Why ask why, drink Bud Dry. I miss Bud Dry. And if I had asked "why," I might never have learned that it was my favorite American beer in America. But some prefer Sam Adams. Do you get the metaphor?

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: A little. But some of the laughs feel like they belong in a different movie.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It tries to be moving, but you won't be connected enough to cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: This is the most 'based on a true story' movie that's NOT being billed or marketed as a true story. It turns out that these characters are loosely based on the magician, The Amazing Kreskin, and Sean McGinly, the writer-director of this film, who served as his road manager, much like the main character, Troy Gabel... So at least now I know why he wanted to write and direct this. Although I'm still not sure why everyone else got involved.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: John Malkovich is magic. The best thing about Colin Hanks is his dad.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: If I disregard the boom mic I saw drop into one shot, the directing is pretty good, as Sean McGinly does manage to create the requisite tension in the moments when we don't know whether a magic trick will be successful or not. But the lighting is a little slapped together, landing the film's look somewhere between a glossy studio film and a trying-to-look-realistic independent, which subsequently doesn't help give the movie a clear cut tone. The cinematographer, Tak Fujimoto, has done a lot of great work in the past, though, so I tend to blame the script for the confused tone.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's hard to tell what this script wants to be. Is it a comedy? A cautionary tale about making it big? Or just a slice of life about a boy who doesn't know what he wants, except that it's not law school? While the script does have a clear cut beginning, middle, and end, as well as an enjoyable enough running voice over, you may leave wondering what you were meant to learn or gain from watching it.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/the%20great%20buck%20howard/trailers

Back To Top

Watchmen

(Guest Review by Jack)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Adapted from Alan Moore's landmark comic book series, Watchmen is a story set in an alternative 1985, where the world is ticking closer to the brink of nuclear war, and a plot to eliminate a band of ex-crime fighters is instigated, but why? and by whom? It is up to two of those ex-crime fighters to investigate the plot, before the plot exterminates them.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Malin Ackerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! For all but the die hard fans of the graphic novel, this movie will not live up to expectations or the hype. It is not your typical Superhero movie, in that (much like in the novel) there aren't that many fight scenes or action scenes. Just a lot of standing around and talking– which is very heady when you're trying to enjoy your popcorn. Plus, if you have not read the book, you will most likely be lost a good portion of the time, since some of the key back story is left out. Concurrently, if you did read the book, and didn’t like it, you won’t feel any differently about this incredibly faithful movie adaptation.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not intentionally. I did hear a few laughs during the screening– but they had that air of confusion, as if to say, "What is going on?" Having read the graphic novel, I could tell from what they weren't getting, that those laughing had not.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: At 2hrs40, my eyes were filled with tears from the large Coke I had to drink to get through it– I was running for relief when it ended.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Maybe Visual Effects, if somebody wants to throw it a bone.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Malin Ackerman, who plays Silk Spectre 2 (one of the major characters), falls flat most of the time. But the rest of the cast does well, and the standout performance by Jackie Earle Haley, as Rorschach, made me want to see a movie based solely on him.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It is extremely faithful to the graphic novel– even framing most shots to replicate the novel’s visuals. While not requiring the imagination that made Lord of the Rings transcend its source material, Zach Snyder does a good job with this movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The problem with the movie is its source material, which holds this movie back from mass appeal. The Watchmen is a challenging deconstruction of the Superhero. This is something that works on the page in a way that can't possibly be translated to the screen. On top of that, some scenes come off campy, using word for word dialogue taken from the novel-- this is especially true of the final confrontation.

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

A: I don't know why Warner Brothers thought that Joe Blow in Idaho would like this story. And it begs the question whether the guy at Fox who thought the script was unreadable and passed on the project had ever read the graphic novel. My guess is that he only read the coverage.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/watchmen/26998/trailers
Back To Top

Sin Nombre

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A gang member trying to escape his fate and a young Honduran woman trying to reconnect with her estranged family in the United States, cross paths on the danger-ridden Central American illegal immigrant train to the border.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Paulina Gaitan, Edgar Flores, Kristian Ferrer, Diana Garcia, Tenoch Huerta, Luis Fernando Pena, Hector Jimenez

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! You will empathize with the joys and perils of being in a murderous gang, and then gasp your way closer and closer to the edge of your seat, as you watch to find out whether or not these two lost souls will be able to arrive alive to destination hope.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I laughed 3 times during one of the gang shootouts. But I was the only one laughing. It was embarrassing.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It will definitely leave you feeling like you need to take a deep breath.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won for Directing and Cinematography at Sundance, and was Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Not too shabby for a first feature film.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Save one or two cast members, this group of unknowns has little to no acting experience prior to this project. You really can't tell.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It is easy to see why this director's short film would have won the Student Academy Award. Remember the name Cary Fukunaga, because you're likely to see it on the big screen for years to come.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: After four years of research, riding the Central American train and interviewing Central American gang members and immigrants, it's no wonder there is fresh new insight into both the life of a gang member and the hazards of illegal immigration.

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

A: This is my first green light of 2009! I'm so happy...

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/sin-nombre/36316/trailers

Back To Top

Personal Effects

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young man (Ashton Kutcher) and an older woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) meet at grievers' support group, and form their own personal little support system outside of the meetings.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathy Bates, Spencer Hudson, Aleks Paunovic, Mary Black

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's a drama, through and through, by which I mean, it doesn't even try to make you feel good. But it's not boring, it is intimate, and the two leads are serious eye-candy.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: This movie is so quiet, chewing popcorn sounds out of place-- so anything to do with actually using your vocal chords you're gonna wanna leave at the door.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: For people who've had someone close to them pass recently, I don't see how it could be avoided. But maybe it's worth it? It could be therapeutic.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: How is it that at the age of 50, Michelle Pfeiffer still gets my vote for Most Beautiful Woman in the World? If there are any youth and beauty potions that actually work, she's holding.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Ashton Kutcher is solid enough, and he even manages to shed a tear during a prolonged shot without cutaways... But then he spoils it a little, when we see him sort of smile with pride-- probably at his own ability to cry on cue. Kathy Bates, in a teeny-tiny role, is a genius. She doesn't have much screen time, but in one scene she laughs so hard that no sound comes out, and before you know it, you realize she's crying. Just seeing her name up on the screen makes you think, "Wow, what a great cast!" Who else is in it becomes almost irrelevant.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The color and lighting make the film appear flat and cold, simulating the feeling of emptiness that follows a loved one's death. On the downside, there are stylistic choices sporadically sprinkled throughout that are inconsistent with the rest of the visuals in the film, and stand out as choices made in the editing room, in places that weren't working.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Rarely in real life have two people run into each other at random, as many times, and in as many places, as the leads in this film do at the beginning of this story. I tried to justify it in my mind by imagining that it was supposed to take place in a small town. But at the Q & A, the writer admitted that it was Pittsburgh. He should've lied.

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

A: The beginning is confusing, because Ashton Kutcher is clearly doing the voiceover for the deaf character.  I imagine there's a poetic reason for this-- like to show how much they have in common, making them like one being-- but it comes off confusing, and it definitely helps to know that even though it sounds like Ashton Kutcher, the sentiments are supposed to be those of the deaf teenager.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://video.google.com/videosearch?client=safari&rls=en&q=personal+effects+trailer&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=f8KwSdW5PJauNdvFjfEE&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title#

Back To Top

Sunshine Cleaning

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A dark comedy about a couple of struggling sisters (Amy Adams & Emily Blunt) who try to make ends meet by starting up a business that involves cleaning up after people's bloody deaths.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, Jason Spevack, Steve Zahn, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Clifton Collins Jr., Eric Christian Olsen, Paul Dooley, Kevin Chapman, Judith Jones

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. In this time of recession, it's interesting to think about the different odd jobs out there that might be lucrative, but it's depressing to think about how easily your whole plan can get ruined, ruining you in return for your efforts.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It's from the producers of Little Miss Sunshine and the darkness of the humor is similar, but the laughs in this one aren't as frequent or as plentiful.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Some people cry at the sight of blood and death. Personally, I'm just thankful that they never perfected smell-o-vision.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: They really teach you everything you need to know about starting this kind of a business, so I'm thinking it'll probably be the movie most likely to inspire people to get over their fear of death and get a job cleaning up after it.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Amy Adams is her regular delightful self. Emily Blunt is a pleasure that I look forward to watching more of as soon as possible. Alan Arkin is exactly the same as he was in Little Miss Sunshine, but with less funny lines to say. And Steve Zahn is desperately underused in this and the rest of the movies getting made around Hollywood, in particular, the ones he's not cast in.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The only moment in which the directing really draws attention to itself is when we see the mom, and then dissolve from one sister's face to the other, instantly realizing how incredibly well cast it is, as the mom has the exact facial features necessary to link the two actresses faces, and create the illusion that they're really related. Separately, you should know that considering all the blood involved in death, the director has intelligently shot this such that the gore-level isn't too high.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's definitely a story that's never been done before, so there's that. The question remains: is this a story that needed to be done? And that's where I'm on the fence.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/sunshine%20cleaning/trailers

Back To Top

Phoebe in Wonderland

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A nine-year-old girl (Elle Fanning) tries to cope with the as-yet-undefined mental illness that is making her "different," by acting in her school production of Alice in Wonderland.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Elle Fanning, Felicity Huffman, Patricia Clarkson, Bill Pullman, Campbell Scott, Ian Colletti, Bailee Madison, Peter Gerety

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is a great movie, but as you can tell from the description of the plot, it's not for everybody. And by "everybody", I obviously mean, people who don't want to deal with a movie about a child with a mental illness. But if you're still reading, maybe this one is for you?

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It's very quirky. Proof: Patricia Clarkson is in it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I almost cried from watching that adorable Elle Fanning smile. And that was before the dramatic stuff happened, so you can only imagine.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I did witness, in the movie, one of the first Oscar worthy performances of the year. No surprise, this film has award winners Felicity Huffman and Patricia Clarkson in it... But I'm not talking about them. Patricia Clarkson is superb in this movie, but much too subtle to get noticed by any doler-outers of awards. And I was one of the first people to jump on the Felicity Huffman bandwagon when I saw her brilliant performance in Transamerica... But in this movie, she is seriously upstaged by a 9-year-old. Will somebody please give that child an Oscar?!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Just in case I haven't gushed enough about Elle Fanning yet, I'd like to also mention that she brings a completely different quality to the screen than her older sister, Dakota, and I hope that after this film people will start to think of her for roles because they want her, and not just because Dakota is too old.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Because the movie takes such a deep look into this child's imagination, there are a lot of opportunities for poetic visual story telling, and first time director, Daniel Barnz, does not miss seizing them.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The family scenes have several moments of pure brilliance. But there are also some moments that read false, mostly having to do with the behaviors of the teachers and the principal.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/phoebe%20in%20wonderland/trailers

Back To Top