Amazon Holiday

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Up

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After losing the love of his life, an old man (Ed Asner) decides to fulfill the dreams of adventure that he'd always promised his wife. And no, he doesn't bring her ashes.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, Elie Docter

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. I'm going to be the first to say it: the emperor has no clothes on. Just because something has the name Pixar on it, does not automatically mean it's a masterpiece, and if somebody doesn't speak up, our general ability to discern quality from mediocrity could be destroyed forever. But the first 15 minutes are very good.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not nearly enough. Not to mention that the best laugh in the movie comes from someone in the Walla* group.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Boy do they think they're going to. But even though I knew the boyscout had daddy issues from the first time he mentioned "all the dads" coming to the award ceremony, I can honestly say that after watching the whole movie, I have no idea if his dad is supposed to be absentee or just dead. It makes a big difference in regards to what the movie is trying to say. And trust me, it is trying to say something.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Yes, it will win the Academy Award for Best Animated Picture. Not because it's the best, just because it's Pixar.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The dog is good. And I suppose the rest of it would be acceptable to you if you were a small child.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There is so much that's confusing in this movie, that it comes to no surprise that the lighting, weather, and mood of a scene or location can change within seconds from gloomy to sunny and bright or vice versa. Frankly, the whole movie is heavy handed about what it wants you to feel, and the result is that you feel manipulated and empty.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Sure there are some parts of the story that are cute, clever, and colorful, but there are also parts that are boring, illogical, and completely unexplained.

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

A: *Walla is the group of people who go into the studio during post-production and improvise and record all the voices of the people you see in crowd scenes. In the case of this movie, the "people" consist primarily of talking dogs.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/up/30386/trailers

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Friday, May 29, 2009

My Life in Ruins

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An American tour guide in Greece (Nia Vardalos) hates her life and all the ugly tourists in it... until they conspire to help her find her "kefi"-- which is basically the Greek word for mojo.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Alexis Georgoulis, Alistair McGowan, Harland Williams, Rachel Dratch, Brian Palermo, Caroline Goodall, Ian Ogilvy, Sophie Stuckey, Maria Botto, Maria Adanez, Jareb Dauplaise, Simon Gleeson, Natalie O'Donnell, Sheila Bernett, Ralph Nossek, Bernice Stegers, Rita Wilson, Ian Gomez

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketGo! If you liked My Big Fat Greek Wedding, this movie has the same tone, family-friendliness, light-heartedness, humor, romance, and leading lady, with a totally new story about being half-Greek, and a setting that makes you feel like you've just gone on a nice vacation.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Stereotypes are funny. And it turns out that Greeks using Windex as a cure-all is just the tip of the iceberg, because let's face it, people are stupid.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Even if you don't cry at the magnificent/majestic scenery (inside joke to be enjoyed by those who have already seen the movie), you might still cry at the touching parts of the story.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Since the timing of the release-- amidst the big budget summer blockbusters-- seems to coincide with the strategy used to turn My Big Fat Greek Wedding into a $200 million hit, this one could also have an outside chance of winning the 2009 Summer Sleeper Award, as audiences trickle in to buy tickets because the movies they planned on seeing were sold out.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: You will remember why we all fell in love with Nia Vardalos' "average girl looking for a break" charm, and why you liked her before she did Connie and Carla. (That's not a reference to a lesbian threesome, that's actually the name of a movie she made.) In other delightful acting news, apparently, several of the actors improvised their lines, including two drunk Australians spouting meaningful gibberish that can only be understood by the natives of their land, and a 5 minute monologue about pancakes by Brian Palermo.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: How can you go wrong in Olympia, Delphi, and Athens? If you're one of the few people in the world who still has $1500 in the bank, you'll be booking your airline ticket as soon as you get home from the theater.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The structure of the story is dynamic because despite the fact that it's a predictable romantic comedy, the two lead characters are not each other's love interest. The second lead, Richard Dreyfuss, is in the script for a whole other purpose. Along with the many little details and side stories going on for each of the tourists, this movie ends up feeling like something you haven't quite seen before.

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

A: There are a few inauthentic moments, here and there, you will have to grit your teeth through. Like, for example, I don't think a tour guide, who knows she's going to be walking on ruins all day would regularly wear 4 inch wedge heals to work. And I can't think of any good reason in this day and age for a tourist to purposely throw his mobile phone in a fire. It's easy enough to just turn it off, and by dealing with it that way, you don't lose all your contacts. Because realistically, one day your vacation is going to end, and you might actually need to call your friends and co-workers again. Not to mention the safety factor-- anyone who's seen Taken knows that it's not as safe as it used to be for Americans to travel abroad.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/my%20life%20in%20ruins/trailers

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Terminator Salvation

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?


A: Future savior, John Connor (Christian Bale), leads a human resistance in a war against Skynet machines in order to save mankind.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Anton Yelchin, Helena Bonham Carter, Bryce Dallas Howard, Common, Jane Alexander, Michael Ironside

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. The Terminator franchise, which now consists of four movies (and one TV show, RIP), includes two bona fide classics (the first and second films), a boring one I can’t even remember (#3) and now Salvation which lands somewhere in the middle. The action is pretty cool and the machines are sort of like transformers with no paint, but the biggest thing missing is still James Cameron in the director’s chair.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you've heard the recording of Christian Bale's on-set freak out, then it probably already has.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Isn't it enough to know that he made his cinematographer cry? And he should be very proud of that, too, because it would certainly be the first time anyone has laughed or cried at one of his films.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It actually already won a secret underground award for Film Most Likely to Make you go Deaf. And it turns out someone snuck out a snippet of audio from Bale's acceptance speech. I have titled it, "Ohhhhhhh, good for you!" (*warning: contains foul language) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrvMTv_r8sA

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Does anyone care about the acting in Terminator movies? Maybe James Cameron once did. Sam Worthington who is the real star of this movie actually makes an impression and from what I can tell he does it all by himself since the script did him no favors. And speaking of James Cameron, he cast Worthington as the star of his next movie, which is called Avatar and is supposed to blow everyone away when it comes out on December 18th. Proving once again James Cameron knows good acting. Anton Yelchin pops up in yet another summer blockbuster and you’d never know he’s the same guy who played Chekov in Star Trek – the kid has a future. Moon Bloodgood has a cool name and gives a cool performance to go with it. I think maybe Christian Bale is in this movie too, but he did not have pointy ears and a cape so it was hard to tell.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: McG can definitely direct action, and boy is there a lot of it in this movie. Pretty much wall-to-wall and some sequences are genuinely riveting. But there is so much of it, it only makes you recall what made the first two Terminator movies so good; namely the subversive humor, suspense, character development and quiet between the big action set pieces. There is no salvation from the noise in Salvation, and we learn almost zero about any of the characters. I mean, Bryce Dallas Howard plays a pregnant woman who is in a bunch of scenes with Christian Bale, but by the end I still had no idea if she was his wife or his maid. (And really, it didn’t matter either way but I’m thinking it should have.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story is sort of interesting and has a decent twist to it, but it could have been way better and executed for more suspense. It all revolves around Marcus Wright, the Sam Worthington character and the less you know about him going in the more satisfying it will be. There is still that whole time-travel tripiness to the story, so it helps to have seen the first two films (at the very least). Maybe the fact this movie isn’t horrible is a triumph in itself. Or have my expectations for summer movies just fallen way too far?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/terminator-salvation/31561/trailers

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Saturday, May 23, 2009

The Brothers Bloom

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A couple of con artist brothers (Adrien Brody & Mark Ruffalo) contrive their cons to tell the stories they want their lives to be about.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, Robbie Coltrane, Maximilian Schell, Ricky Jay, Zachary Gordon, Max Records, Nora Zehetner

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. Highly stylized and convoluted, this is a love-it or hate-it kind of piece, that asks the question can you control the outcome of your own life, by planning the perfect con?

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It is certainly a comedy, but in a bizarre and artsy way. Babel's Rinko Kikuchi, whose offbeat character garners most of the laughs without hardly ever uttering a word, sums up the tone in a nutshell. But then again, blowing things up can often be a more decisive way to express yourself than words.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Rather than use words to answer this, I'm just going to blow something up... [wait for it]... [wait for it]... Okay, it's done. And I think you catch my drift.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Rian Johnson's last film, Brick, was nominated for a bunch of Independent Spirit Awards, and they tend to enjoy recycling their nominees, so in that sense this film has a decent chance of getting attention over there. Unfortunately, this film is a lot more entertaining than Brick, so Johnson may have shot himself in the foot, because the Spirit Awards don't usually nominate films that are fun to watch.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Superb across the board. All the actors manage to give real feeling performances while delivering lines and concepts that are completely over the top and absurd. Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo are excellent, but it's the women who steal the show. Rinko Kikuchi with her evilly detached, yet secretly caring persona. And Rachel Weisz, who glows and bounces off the screen with a childlike joy, that makes it hard to tell if she's the conman or the mark.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: As in writer-director Rian Johnson's first film, the story blurs the lines between a realistic world and a fantasy, without ever outright defining the rules of the fantasy world. The look of the film is realistic, not fantasy, so you're never quite sure where you are in this pseudo-surreal existence. If my description isn't making this any easier for you to grasp, know that that is quite deliberately the filmmakers intention.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story is a lot of fun, though in some ways predictable. You never know who's conning who, but you know it doesn't matter because it's all being done out of love. You also never know what the con is that their pulling, who's getting what out of it, or even what era the movie takes place in, as the characters dress and talk like they're in the 1940s, and travel to Europe by boat, despite the discovery that one of them has a cellphone. Those are the aspects of the film you will either find highly artistic and inventive or completely annoying.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-brothers-bloom/27798/trailers

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Where did Wolverine come from? How did he get to be the way he is? You will find out, but he won't.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Will.i.am, Lynn Collins, Kevin Durand, Dominic Monaghan, Taylor Kitsch, Daniel Henney, Ryan Reynolds

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. After resisting seeing this movie, I have to say, it's not nearly as bad as you think it's going to be. I'd even go so far as to admit that it's a lot of fun-- so long as you don't require any elements that you've never seen before in a film.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are several efforts made, but none of them are successful.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I hope you don't mind fingernails on a chalkboard, because in a movie featuring so many characters with remarkable nails, you're bound to get a lot of them scratching up things... and the flesh is almost easier to take than the metal.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: How great is Weapon XI? Best bad guy ever! Talk about having it all!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: As good of an actor as Hugh Jackman is, I sometimes have a hard time getting past his total thespianism. His posture in the the way he walks, and stands, and glares is so actor-y to me, that I don't always see a tough guy-killer, but rather a sweet, family man, who likes to take on interesting roles. And I love Danny Huston, but the mere fact that he's cast in a role, gives away who the bad guy is going to be. He needs to play some nice guys soon, to bring back that element of surprise.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing is fast-paced and move-y. So much so, that it inspired me to make up a word... only to realize that the word already exists, and it's spelled, "movie." But, yeah, I thought the directing was great.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The fights, the superpowers, the special effects, are all there. And the story is absolutely adequate, too. They kind of had it easy though, since we already know that Wolverine doesn't remember his past, from the X-Men movies we've already seen. So the writers could basically do anything, because they have to erase his memory by the end, for continuity, so this story is ultimately irrelevant to the rest of the lore.

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

A: Do not stay for the little scene after the credits. It's not nearly interesting enough to justify sitting through approximately 17 minutes of visual effects credits.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/x-men-origins-wolverine/30722/trailers

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Monday, May 18, 2009

Angels & Demons

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), is called upon to solve a mystery that will save Vatican City from exploding at midnight.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Thure Lindhardt,

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. It's exactly like The Da Vinci Code, but with a different set of clues, leading to a different story about how the church has issues.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I laughed once, but I was the only one. It was very lonely.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There is one little, teeny-tiny tinge of emotion at the end. But as you know from the first one, this is more of an intellectual undertaking than an emotional one.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I can't see any reason for it. Nothing particularly stands out as being remarkable.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: It's exactly like The Da Vinci Code but with a different set of dialogues, leading to a different book that Robert Langdon can write, Dan Brown can write about, we can read, and Hollywood can make a movie version of.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Lavish. I mean, not only does Ron Howard have two of every award, but this time, he got to film in the fake Sistine Chapel!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Exactly like The Da Vinci Code, but with a different set of bad guys, leading to a different set of surprise twists.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/angelsdemons/

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Star Trek

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The beginnings of Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the USS Enterprise crew from before they had a famous television series, or as is the case with this new cast, an inevitable film franchise. This Star Trek movie is so special, it doesn't even need a number.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder, Tyler Perry, Chris Hemsworth, Jennifer Morrison, Rachel Nichols, Faran Tahir

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketGo! I have a long history of hating Star Trek. First it was a source of fights with college roommates about what was or was not allowed to be cluttering the air of our living room, via the television airwaves. Then, as luck would have it, my first job out of college was as a director's assistant on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager-- a job that forced me to watch endless episodes of those series, and worse, to have to read boring scripts, geeked out with techno-babble beyond my comprehension-- and that's not to mention the constant dodging of Trekkies who had-- to my misfortune-- asked, "So what do you do?"... Well the years have passed, and this movie has none of the old, stiff tone of the television shows. It's fun, and vivacious, and thrilling, despite the fact that I still only understood about two-thirds of what they were talking about with their trans-thrusters and their parallax beams.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Surprisingly, quite a bit. And even more so if you're in the know.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I almost cried twice, and one of the times was in the first act, so that's unusual, but the reasons James T. Kirk is given, as to why he should join Starfleet Academy, are deeply moving.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Anyone who can reinvigorate this tired old series deserves an award for something.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Chris Pine is Brad Pitt: The Next Generation (TNG for those on the inside). He's sexy, charismatic, and he even has those little pockmarks on his face. But the whole cast is fantastic and well defined, each building on and amplifying what their predecessors brought to the table in the 1960s. We will look back on this film as the one that launched a lot of young actors into the A-list.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: In a lot of ways, it is the look of this film that sells it to the non-Trekkie audience. It is modern, and big, but still true to the standard angles so often highlighted on the Starship's Bridge, like the whip pan from the Captain's chair to the Flight Engineer, or the side angle, slow pans and push ins of two shots and three shots, as the crew looks dramatically at some disaster on a screen. I'm sure it's deliberate on J.J. Abrams' part, but having been on the bridge of several of those ships, I can tell you that it's also because there are very few places to put a camera on those sets, especially if you want to capture anything that looks dynamic. Oh God, I'm having flashbacks!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I love time travel! It keeps your mind in a constant state of jumble, so you almost don't notice the wormholes in the plot, or care, for that matter, about how many incredible coincidences it takes for this story to work itself out. And anyway, the characters are so well developed, and the dialogue is so snappy, that I have to assume it all makes sense.

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

A: The area that requires the biggest suspension of disbelief and has probably not been mentioned by anybody else is this: How many times can Kirk hang off the edge of a cliff by just his fingers and not fall? Do it once, and I'll give you a pass, but in this movie it happens about 4 times. Maybe it's an inside joke I don't know about, but all I kept thinking was, "Not only is it rare to manage to catch yourself mid-flight that way, when gravity is pulling you downward, but it's nearly impossible to lift yourself up from that position using only the strength of your own arms." Try it if you don't believe me. I can't do it, and I was a trained gymnast.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/star-trek/29301/trailers

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Easy Virtue

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Set in the UK in the 1920s, the prodigal son (Ben Barnes) of a rich family returns home with an older woman (Jessica Biel), whom he's already married, and who is American. And so his mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) sets to breaking them apart.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth, Kimberley Nixon, Katherine Parkinson, Kris Marshall, Charlotte Riley, Christian Brassington, Pip Torrens

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. Based on a Noel Coward play, the fast paced farcical tone gets off to a good start, but about 20 minutes in, you realize that this movie has no plot, and the story element that would've made the catty goings-on more interesting is not revealed until 20 minutes before the end.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The dialogue is quick witted, but you might want to brush up on your proper English listening comprehension skills, because in some parts it is so fast and thrown away that you completely miss what they're saying.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Maybe, if you've ever had in-laws. But probably not.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Can you imagine how insulted Kristin Scott Thomas must have been when she found out she was going to be acting up against 7th Heaven's Jessica Biel? Apparently she put all that anger into this role, and it served her well because she has already won a couple of acting awards in Great Britain for this film.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jessica Biel is pretty, but she's completely miscast as the older woman. Not only does she not appear to be older than her husband, but in real life, she's several months younger than Ben Barnes. The whole movie would have made a lot more sense if they had gotten Charlize Theron or Angelina Jolie. Another reason those actresses would've been more impactful, is that they wouldn't look so ridiculous trying to act next to top tier professionals like Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth. On a positive note, I'd like to ask you all to look out for Kimberley Nixon, a fairly newcomer, who really does hold her own next to these old pros. I see a big career in her future.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Even though it is an adaptation of a play, and takes place primarily all on one giant estate, it never feels too small or boxed in to be a movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The script, on the other hand, does not escape the play-to-movie transition unscathed. A play and a movie don't have the same format. In a play, the audience is more patient, and you can leave certain key plot points and underlying emotional motivations until the end. But in a movie format, the audience is accustomed to knowing why a character is being unreasonably cruel much earlier, so that they can feel deeply for both the villain and the victim, and experience the moral dilemma of choosing sides. If the screenwriters had introduced the pivotal plot piece twenty minutes into the film instead of twenty minutes from the end, they might have had a movie. But as it sits now, they have a very cinematic play.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/easy%20virtue/trailers

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Rudo y Cursi

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: This movie examines the complex sibling rivalry of two half-brothers (Gael Garcia Bernal & Diego Luna), which inspires them to find both greatness and failure, on and off the soccer field, as they compete to be the first son who is able to build their mother her dream house.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Guillermo Francella, Jessica Mas, Adriana Paz, Dolores Heredia

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketGo! If you're tired of the same old predictable stories that constantly come out of the Hollywood machine, and you want to see a story that has never been done before, then I hope you have the heart-- or rather the stomach-- for this intense character study of what brotherly love-hate can lead a man to do.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: In some ways, it's a dark comedy... which means it's for the most part not funny. But you'll laugh your butt off if you're a jaded or twisted SOB. (Which I recognize is an endorsement for at least 23% of you curmudgeons to go see this film.)

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: As empathetic as you'll feel for these cynical characters, they're not nearly likable enough to consider shedding a tear over.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that this wins (yes, I said wins) Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards. Come back in 10 months to see if I know what I'm talking about.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The breakout star for American audiences is going to be 54-year-old, Guillermo Francella, who is actually quite well known in Argentina. He is by far the most likable character in this batch of selfish misfits. According to the director, our two leads, who are reunited with their creators from Y Tu Mama Tambien for the first time, are deliberately cast against type, so as not to feel like a repeat of the aforementioned film. "Rudo" which means "tough" is played by Diego Luna, while "Cursi" which means "corny" is played by Gael Garcia Bernal. I can only take this to mean that in real life, Bernal is the tough one, and Luna is the corny one. If that's the case, they are both very convincing as their counter-types. But having seen them in person, badgering each other non-stop at a Q & A, I think their actual character types are "Laurel" & "Hardy."

Q: How is the Directing?

A: For a first time director, Carlos Cuaron already comes off like an old pro. Clearly the directing gene runs in his whole family, and not just to his brother Alfonso.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This beautifully written script uses soccer as a metaphor for everything important in life, love, and relationships, with the ongoing battle between the shooter and the goalie at its center. At all levels for one to succeed, the other must fail, and so we are introduced to the film's subtle exploration of the duality of being human. Every character and every relationship in the film is one thing on the outside, and it's opposite underneath. The slick characters are sweet, the strong characters are weak, and the tough characters are corny. Similarly, the loving brothers share an extreme rivalry , but right when you think they couldn't hate each other more, expressions of their love rise to the surface-- albeit in confusing and indirect ways. What I like about this story is that it's both easy to follow, and filled with subtexts which you can think about and debate afterward. The conclusion is not spelled out for you, yet it is incredibly accessible, so you get to feel smart (though not brilliant) for having gotten it.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/rudo%20y%20cursi/trailersu>

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Battle for Terra

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: In an animated sci-fi world, in the distant future, after the Earth's atmosphere has become uninhabitable, the last remaining humans in the Universe, who live on a space station that's only months away from running out of breathable air, decide to invade and take over the planet of Terra, which requires annihilating the peaceful little Alien beings who currently inhabit the planet.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Evan Rachel Wood, Luke Wilson, Chris Evans, David Cross, Brian Cox, Danny Trejo, Amanda Peet, Justin Long, Phil LaMarr, David Krumholtz, Danny Glover, Beverly D'Angelo, Rosanna Arquette, Ron Perlman, Dennis Quaid, James Garner, Mark Hamill

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. There are only two types of people who would enjoy this die-hard sci-fi, morality tale. 1) The serious sci-fi connoisseur. The kind who remembers that the original purpose of science fiction was to hypothesize about the future, so as to warn against potential forthcoming dangers in the present. Those who stick to their belief that sci-fi is not just supposed to be an excuse to blow things up. And 2) The 10 year old boys-- but not the kind who ever plan on having a girlfriend.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Rarely has an animated movie taken itself quite so seriously.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It might bore you to tears.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It is filled with award winning ideas about peace vs. war, and the ability to live side by side and share things... like land... and air... You know, like we learned to do in nursery school-- when we were four! (Yes, I'm talking to you Israel and Palestine.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Considering the list of big names above, you really never think about who's doing the voices in this one. Probably a sign of believable acting.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The world that is created is quite peaceful and beautiful-- before the battle begins. So visually, it's fairly original. But the pace is much too slow, especially at the beginning. And it's hard not to compare the battle scenes to every space movie and TV show that starts with the word "Star."

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are several high stakes scenes that get you thinking about what the most ethical choice would be for a character, and what you might do if put in that character's precarious situation. But those moments are surrounded by scenes that rock you to sleep, so good luck being awake to catch them.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/battle-for-terra/36649/trailers

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Friday, May 1, 2009

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Structured like Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but having nothing to do with Christmas, this is the story of a man who is visited by 3 ghosts, who take him on a journey to his past, his present, and his future, so that he can discover that he's a total douche.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Robert Forster, Anne Archer, Emma Stone, Daniel Sunjata, Noureen DeWulf, Rachel Boston, Camille Guaty, Amanda Walsh, Logan Miller, Christa B. Allen, and Christina Milian

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. It's not deep or anything, but it's a really good take on A Christmas Carol. When you go see a romantic comedy, you know who's going to end up together before the movie ever begins. So what makes one good isn't so much the "What?" as the "How?" When you genuinely wonder how one of the characters is going to get past the other one's irredeemable flaws, and the filmmakers find a way to convince you that they actually could overcome all the obstacles that have been keeping them apart, that's when a rom-com is worth watching. This one manages to do all that, within the predictable construct of being visited by 3 familiar ghosts, who usually only show themselves at Christmas time.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The biggest laugh was during the preview trailer for the Wayans Brothers' Dance Flick, but that certainly wasn't the only laugh this film had to offer.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I've seen 5 versions of A Christmas Carol in the last 6 months, but this one had the only "Christmas Present"scene that almost got me crying. When the nephew defends the "scrooge"-- in this case the younger brother defends his older brother-- behind his back, it usually seems like he's doing it out of obligation, but in this version, you can really feel the sincerity of his love.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I think it'll win Biggest Box office for a movie based on A Christmas Carol, that was released before July. It could even take home Only movie based on A Christmas Carol released before July.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Matthew McConaughey plays the same guy he always plays, only this time with playboy dialogue. But I happen to have met this particular playboy before, and McConaughey's portrayal is realistic enough to serve as a poignant reminder to always run away from him, as fast as you can. Lacey Chabert turns in more of those magnificent freak-outs, she gave us a small taste of in Mean Girls. And if you haven't had a chance to fall in love with Emma Stone yet, you obviously haven't seen all her movies, like I have.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Mark Waters has a way of shooting comedies that keeps them feeling fun, upbeat and grounded in reality, without ever looking cheezy or too broad. He manages to keep an even tone, even when the script tries to get wacky. If you don't believe me, watch Mean Girls again.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Surprisingly unpredictable for a story we know by heart. Good concept, good gimmick, good title, and good resolution. You can almost hear screenwriters around the world pulling out their hair as they scream, "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, why didn't I think of that?"

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/ghosts-of-girlfriends-past/26716/trailers

Back To Top
AddThis Social Bookmark Button