The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After eight years in hiding, Boston's Boondock Saints (Sean Patrick Flanery & Norman Reedus) get called back into action, when someone kills a priest in a fashion that implies it was their work.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly, Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz, Peter Fonda, Judd Nelson, David Della Rocco, Bob Marley, Brian Mahoney, David Ferry, Gerard Parkes, Bob Rubin

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's got its holes, and it's got its flaws, but if you allow yourself to go along for the ride, you will find that this is just some good-old cheesy shoot 'em up fun.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The comedy is sort of the highlight of this film. Using an entirely new tone from the original, the film manages to brilliantly spoof itself. Now, I don't know if that was deliberate, but if it was congratulations to the filmmakers for opening up their audience, and if it wasn't they should definitely take this opportunity to pretend that it was.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Several likeable characters will die, and you will just have to deal with it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: After the original bombed at the box office, it slowly found a die-hard cult audience on video (yes, that's how long ago the original came out), and thanks to that, investors became interested in putting money up for a sequel. So it's already won the Most Unlikely Sequel Award, and that's really something to be proud of.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Sometimes when I watch these smaller films I am forced to realize that I don't watch enough TV. Julie Benz, who is mostly known for Dexter, has an absolutely break out performance. Of course, I have no way of knowing if she's always that good, because I've never seen her before. Meanwhile, Clifton Collins Jr., who can play both frightening and hilarious-- and does both within this film-- proves why he is unbelievably castable, and will be a great resource for directors needing just about any quality for many more years to come. As for the Boondock Saints themselves... they're hardly in the movie.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Troy Duffy has a very strong cinematic sense, which he proves over again in this sequel. Unfortunately, he also proves that he's self-indulgent and showy in ways that don't always highlight his talent. He often makes choices that are so busy drawing attention to his directing, that they take away from the story, and confuse the audience. In addition, there are a few scenes that end up dragging on a bit too long, and seem only to be there to showcase some great shot or effect he wasn't willing to leave on the cutting room floor. Even a second of boredom in a film can snap you right out of the world you're trying to be drawn into.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are a lot of inside jokes that refer back to the original in ways that make it hard to follow the film if you're not in the know. I've actually seen the original, but it was so many years ago, and I've seen hundreds (possibly thousands) of other films since then, so I found myself having a hard time following the non-linear structure. I was able to quickly move past those moments, so I still enjoyed it-- especially the comedy-- but I also breathed a sigh of relief every time I was (heavy handedly) told by the characters about some relevant thing that had happened in the original.

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

A: It's hard for me to write about Troy Duffy or The Boondock Saints without recommending a documentary called Overnight. It's about him and the notorious Hollywood story of how the original script sold for a ridiculously high price to Miramax, catapulting him to overnight success, but how with his arrogance, he managed to throw it all away overnight, too, finding himself back in the struggle with everybody else, just another guy trying to get his film off the ground. This is an amazing cautionary tale for all those of you with big Hollywood dreams. Troy's story has a moderately happy ending, since we know that his story leads to a sequel-- which is a pretty indisputable proof of success. But it's also important to point out that despite all his raw talent, he wasn't able to land another directing job in 10 years until this sequel was funded. I'll be interested to see if he gets a second chance this time...

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-boondock-saints-ii-all-saints-day/39245/trailers

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Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A poor, obese, Black teen (Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe) tries to rise above her history of abuse and illiteracy.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sherri Shepherd, Xosha Roquemore, Chyna Layne, Angelic Zambrana, Stephanie Andujar, Amina Robinson, Nia Fraser

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's hard to watch at times, because it shows some of the ugliest sides of humanity, but there are moments, scenes, and performances that can unequivocally be called brilliant. If you thought Mommy Dearest was harsh, that's only because you haven't seen the version where the mom is broke, on welfare, and incestuous.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Strangely enough, within these grim circumstances, there's a fair amount of humor.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: ...And gasp, and scream, and gag, and sigh.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won the Audience Awards at Sundance, Toronto, and San Sebastian. But I'm also going to go all in and bet on Mo'Nique, for Best Supporting Actress at the big show-- and not just because she has a beautiful name.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The lead actress, Gabby, loses herself in the role of the abused, self-loathing, dreamer, and makes you forget she's never acted before. The rest is pretty spectacular, too. Mo'Nique will make you forget she ever did Phat Girlz, Mariah Carey will make you forget she ever did Glitter, and Lenny Kravitz will make you forget your name-- I mean, because he's so damn fine.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Producer Lee Daniels, makes a convincing turn as Director in what seems to be his first foray. The mood is captured perfectly. The necessary tension fills each uncomfortable scene. And some shots may even stay etched in your memory for the rest of you living days. Or at least until you develop early onset Alzheimer's... We all have it coming.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Not always easy to follow, and never spoon fed, the story unfolds in an unconventional structure, with little gifts and surprises along the way, giving you something to talk about when you leave.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/precious-based-on-a-novel-by-sapphire/31794/trailers

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Gentlemen Broncos

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A home schooled teen (Michael Angarano) dreams of being a sci-fi novelist, so he takes a seminar offered by his idol... and then, as is usually the case, his idol plagiarizes his book.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Michael Angarano, Jennifer Coolidge, Jemaine Clement, Sam Rockwell, Hector Jimenez, Halley Feiffer, Mike White, Josh Pais, Suzanne May

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. For all you Napoleon Dynamite fans, this is the closest Jared Hess has come to accomplishing whatever he accomplished with that inexplicable hit.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Your ability to find the humor in this film will be directly proportional to your ability to find the humor in Napoleon Dynamite.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Again, I will refer you back to your level of emotion in watching Napoleon Dynamite. And let's be honest, nobody ever cried at Napoleon Dynamite.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Do they still have any avant-guard awards for movies? Or did those go out with the 70s?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: While I never actually enjoy his films, director Jared Hess does seem to bring an interesting quality out in his actors. The strained, awkward, never ending pauses, after which no words are often spoken, demonstrate that he has a style all his own, and he commits to it fully and consistently.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Again, I will admit that while I never actually enjoy his films, I really like the composition of Jared Hess's shots. They capture the strained, awkward, never ending pauses, after which no words are often spoken, quite descriptively. Also, this campy-stylized film has two other films in it, each more campy and stylized than the next, begging the question, "How does this guy come up with so many original ways to make awful looking movies."

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Here's where you'll have to suspend your disbelief. You see, that a teenage boy would write this ridiculous nonsensical sci-fi novel is believable. That someone would read it and like it is much less believable. But that someone would like it enough to plagiarize it is totally preposterous.

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

A: If when I mentioned Napoleon Dynamite, earlier, you thought that I was talking about some Blacksploitation version of the French Revolution, this film is definitely not for you.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/gentlemen-broncos/33271/trailers

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The Yes Men Fix the World

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Two concerned pranksters go around posing as high powered executive spokespeople from large multinational firms, and staging elaborate presentations to convince conference-goers that the corporations they represent are going to do something for the good of the people... Of course, that's not true.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The Yes Men: Andy Bichlbaum & Mike Bonanno.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Any ideas you might get about changing the way we do things in our country for the better are alright with me.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The merry prankster style of our two heroes is not dissimilar to Michael Moore's, if he were two people, and those two people were a Vaudeville team.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No. But thankfully, it will make you angry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: As a direct competitor to Capitalism: A Love Story, giving these guys an award would be a great slap in the face to Michael Moore-- for anyone out there who's interested in slapping Moore in the face.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: These guys have giantes cajones... Or maybe they have a secret fantasy to spend some time in jail.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The producing is really what's impressive here.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It can start to feel a bit repetitive, because while they vary the pranks at each conference and for each company they're pretending to represent, the ultimate outcome is usually the same each time. Someone figures out it's a hoax, and they're still proud that they got people talking about an important issue.

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

A: The fact that in the last month I've seen three movies (this one, Capitalism: A Love Story, and Crude) about the pitfalls and deaths caused by Capitalism and American corporate greed is a sign that this tragedy is in the zeitgeist. And the fact that it's in the zeitgeist, is a sign that it's time to take action and change our system.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-yes-men-fix-the-world/36262/trailers

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An Education

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A English school girl (Carey Mulligan), studying to go to Oxford, gets swept off her feet by an older man (Peter Sarsgaard), and starts to question which education is more valuable, the scholarly one or the one she's getting from her new boyfriend about living life.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Cara Seymour, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Olivia Williams, Emma Thompson, Sally Hawkins

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! If for nothing else, to feel the energy of newcomer, Carey Mulligan's captivating performance.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: More so if you're highly educated and speak British.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but you do end up feeling sorry for just about everybody in it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It will certainly spend money on a campaign. I've already seen the propaganda machine start to spin... Oh, and it won the Dramatic Audience Award for World Cinema at Sundance.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Carey Mulligan embodies the character completely, laughing nervously when she's happy, excited, and nervous.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The Cinematography, which also won an award at Sundance, is beautiful. And that always makes a director look good.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's a somewhat original story, but still, there are several moments that may have you scratching your head. Like, first of all, why is everyone in the film so laissez-faire about that fact that a 16-year-old girl is dating a guy in his 30s? Her parents, her teachers, her friends, not one of them points out that it's a little weird. In fact, her parents, who don't seem to like anyone, love this guy, and I suppose I could have used a by numbers explanation of why.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/an-education/33272/trailers

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New York, I Love You

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Several short films by people who love New York, about the different kinds of love you can find in New York.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Bradley Cooper, Shia LaBeouf, Natalie Portman, Blake Lively, Orlando Bloom, Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, Robin Wright Penn, Christina Ricci, Eva Amurri, Justin Bartha, Drea de Matteo, Ethan Hawke, Olivia Thirlby, John Hurt, James Caan, Chris Cooper, Anton Yelchin, Maggie Q, Andy Garcia, Julie Christie, Cloris Leachman, Eli Wallach, Jacinda Barrett, Qi Shu, Irrfan Khan, Emilie Ohana, Burt Young, Taylor Geare, Ugur Yucel, Carlos Acosta

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It has no cohesive story-- obviously, since it's a series of mostly unrelated, and sometimes esoteric shorts-- but the theme gives you some things to think about, concerning love, romance, sex, marriage, and even the simple kindness of strangers.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not very hard.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it gets inside many of the characters' minds, and puts forth an interesting depiction of the differences between the types of love we feel in our fantasies, and the way we experience love in real life.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's up for a Golden Trailer Award-- which I think it totally deserves, because when you do a series of shorts, you can get a lot of high-profile actors, who only have to commit to about a week of filming out of their busy schedules. Then, when you condense all those performances to a minute long trailer, it suddenly looks like a super star-studded film, which actually does a great job of drawing audiences into the theater, despite the fact that most of the actors get a total screen-time of 5 minutes or less.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: There are no stand-out performances in this piece, but it's nice to see Drea de Matteo grace the screen, as well as Cloris Leachman, who's absolutely still got it.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Several directors, all of which do the inner-personality of New York justice, manage to intertwine the stories seamlessly, with montages of the city's many different neighborhoods.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's not particularly engaging, and not nearly as deep as it's trying to be, but if you've ever owned an "I heart New York" t-shirt, you won't really care.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/new-york-i-love-you/34286/trailers

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Paranormal Activity

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young couple moves into their new house and decides to record the paranormal activity that seems to be escalating as time goes by.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs, Amber Armstrong

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Hey folks, it’s Halloween and time to be frightened, so if you’re searching for a scare-guarantee then look no further than this. With not a drop of blood, serial killer or ghostly figure anywhere in sight, Paranormal Activity uses suspense and our fear of the unknown to create a movie-going experience that will scare the pants off you.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yes. Micah Sloat is goofily charming and funny as the boyfriend most girls will want as their protector and husband.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: That depends, do you usually cry when you discover that you've just crapped your pants?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Film Hollywood Could Never-Ever Make in a million years? (But I give Dreamworks credit for buying it and releasing it as is, instead of remaking it with Megan Fox and some star from Gossip Girl.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Astonishing. Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat (as “Katie” and “Micah”) are tasked with bringing an ‘everyman’ anonymous quality to their characters and relationship and they almost succeed a little too well. This is all supposed to play out as if watching the found-footage of a real-life average couple that went through something extraordinary and there isn’t a false moment to be found in their performances. The fact you’ve never seen (or heard of) these actors before is a condition of making this film work, but I don’t think Katie and Micah will stay anonymous for very much longer.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: This entire movie is shot from the POV of a digital camera either sitting on a tripod or being carried around by one of the leads, but while that might sound annoying in a sea-sick feeling kind of way, thankfully it's not. It also proves how much more there is to directing than how the director moves the camera because the straightforwardness and documentary-like feel of it only enhance the creepiness. Oren Peli, the director-screenwriter may not have had a lot of resources in making this movie but he still manages to ratchet up the tension and suspense in ways that can only lead to the conclusion that he’s a gifted director with a bright future.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This movie is so natural in the way it unfolds, it’s easy to forget there even was a script. The conceit of Paranormal Activity is to make you feel as if you’re watching the equivalent of home-movies, but the sequence of events that unfolds is masterful in how it creates escalating fear that never lets up and makes for one of the most rewarding movie-viewing experiences you can hope to have in 2009.

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

A: In case I haven't made this completely clear: this movie will scare the s**t out of you!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/paranormal-activity/33046/main

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Love Happens

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A widower (Aaron Eckhart) turns his grief into a best-selling self-help book and seminars, but he may not have actually dealt with the pain that he's trying to help others overcome.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Aaron Eckhart, Jennifer Aniston, Dan Fogler, Judy Greer, John Carroll Lynch, Martin Sheen, Sasha Alexander, Frances Conroy

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! The only way worth watching this movie is in your living room with your cattiest girlfriend (male or female), so that you can talk throughout, making fun of the cheesy parts-- which are mostly concentrated in the beginning, middle, and end.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: This romantic-"comedy" has not a single joke to be found. But before I went to see it, my friend Sheryl reminded me that sometimes it's fun to sit through a mindless, stupid movie, because you can always focus on the hairstyles and the clothes... So when I found myself analyzing Jennifer Aniston's eye shadow, I thought that was pretty funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you did, I would laugh at you.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Somehow, in the midst of this debacle, a little known character actor named, John Carroll Lynch, manages to pull off a couple of crying scenes worthy of an Academy Award nomination. He won't get it, because he's in the movie for less than fifteen minutes, and he's not royalty like Dame Judy Dench... And let's face it, he's in a movie that sucks.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Rarely has the chemistry of an on-screen duo been so missing in action.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It takes place in Seattle, so... oh, who cares.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: As predictable as rain in Seattle.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/love-happens/37327/trailers

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The Road

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After an unexplained apocalypse, a man and his son (Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee) go on the road looking for food, and trying to avoid being killed and eaten by other humans.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Garret Dillahunt, Michael K. Williams

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If I were a producer in the movie The Player, this would be my sales pitch, "Okay, here's the deal. Picture Zombieland-- number one at the box office last weekend. Got it? So our movie is just like that, but without any of the humor or the zombies." And that would actually be a pretty accurate description of this grim and hopeless depiction of a world with about as much hope as a gas shower.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Once. And it's so out of place in this dark, quiet piece, that it actually makes you feel like you just farted really loudly, and everyone knows you dealt it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It is tense, but it's much too alienating to elicit tears.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Clearly that's the only possible goal the Weinstein Company could've had in releasing this film, cuz it's certainly not trying to entertain anyone.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Viggo Mortensen finds his on-screen equal in an 11-year-old boy named Kodi Smit-McPhee. Not only does the boy look like a perfect combination of the genes of Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron, but he acts like this isn't his first apocalypse.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: John Hillcoat's images are probably the main reason that lovers of cinema will appreciate this art film. It is truly gorgeous... I mean, if you can find beauty in a gray world covered in trash and scattered with people who are covered in grime.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Cormac McCarthy's book makes for a script of few words. It's slow, meditative, and doesn't lead toward much more than the characters' impending death. I imagine those who've read the book will find greater depth than I did in this examination of a father and son relationship at the end of a life worth living.

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

A: This is not an action-adventure "event" movie, so the following trailer is completely misleading:

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbLgszfXTAY

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Couples Retreat

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Four couples decide to go on vacation together and find out that if they want to do any of the fun stuff the resort has to offer, they will have to go through an eccentric couples counseling course.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Kristin Davis, Faizon Love, Kali Hawk, Tasha Smith, Jean Reno, John Michael Higgins, Ken Jeong, Carlos Ponce, Peter Serafinowicz, Colin Baiocchi, Gattlin Griffith

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This easily digestible examination of being in a long term relationship will be relatable to anyone who's old enough to have tried it, but you probably won't gain any new insights into the matter.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: You will smile more than laugh. And considering the cast's pedigree, that may play as a disappointment to some of you.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: With all the love bouncing around this story, it would have been nice to see it pull a little harder at our heart strings.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most likely to turn people off yoga... Or, in some cases, onto it.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jon Favreau's energy is something to marvel at, and Sex and the City's Kristin Davis, playing his wife, makes you completely forget about Charlotte. But it's newcomer Colin Baiocchi (4 years old) who steals the most scenes. He's almost like a next generation Peter Billingsley.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: And speaking of Peter Billingsley, that kid is going places... Then again, how can you go wrong when you're working with a giant handful of the most talented comedic actors of our time, and filming on location in beautiful Bora-Bora. I could have just stared at the scenery for two hours and felt fulfilled.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It does a nice job of depicting the various different types of real relationships and real relationship problems that can exist, but often times, right when I started to be interested in where a scene was going, they would cut away to something else. In some cases the jumping around adds to the comedy and the drama. But, other times, I wanted to know what would happen next-- and we'd never cut back to find out. This is especially true in the therapy sessions.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/couples-retreat/36112/trailers

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Where the Wild Things Are

( Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book, nine year-old Max flees home after getting into trouble, and takes a journey across the seas to a forest inhabited by wild creatures, where he becomes their self-appointed king.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Pepita Emmerichs, Steve Mouzakis, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, Paul Dano, Catherine O’Hara, Forest Whitaker, Michael Berry Jr., Chris Cooper

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Incredibly imaginative, strikingly visual and very true to the spirit of the book, this adaptation will most likely please a lot of fans. But it’s simply not for everyone and despite the fact that it does a good job in filling out a fifteen-page children’s book into a feature-length film, it still drags at times.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The wild creatures Max stumbles upon have a lot of humor to them, both visually and in their dialogue.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There is a lot of melancholy in Max’s journey, but only one moment might bring some tears, and even then, I’m not so sure it will for most.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It’s a gorgeous and imaginative-looking film, so it will probably be nominated for all the visual type awards.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Max Records, who plays Max, is excellent. Apparently, this is his acting debut, but he’s clearly a natural. There’s no mugging or over-acting and that goes a long way toward relating to Max’s journey and inner struggle. The Wild Things’ voices are all perfectly cast to inform their expressive faces and even though the physical actors in the creature suits will not get much mention, they also do a fantastic job.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: We’ve come to expect a lot from such a visual filmmaker as Spike Jonze and he’s definitely on his game once again. It’s easy to tell how much he loved this book and story because there are no compromises and it really feels like Sendak’s drawings have come to life right from the page. The movie also stays true to the internal plight and struggle of a nine-year-old boy and that comes though in every single detail Jonze puts on screen (including the fantastic opening shot which ends on a freeze-frame of the film’s title, so don’t be late). But it is maybe that central focus that makes the movie less mainstream. In other words, if you want a Pixar-movie-‘feeling,’ then go see a Pixar movie. At a Q & A after the screening, Spike Jonze spoke about some of the details of the six-year odyssey of making this movie which only made it that much more impressive. But it also made me wish he could figure out a way to make his movies a little faster because six or seven years is too long to wait for a new Spike Jonze film.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The script is really impressive especially when considering the source material it’s based on. In fact, it’s almost shocking that a major studio would greenlight this particular version of such a popular children’s book. In keeping with Sendak’s original intent, Jonze and co-writer Dave Eggers keep a laser-like focus on how Max’s adventure would play out in detail, and everything works. In the hands of a different director/writer, this story could have become a typical effects-laden Hollywood extravaganza, but not this version. Both emotion and imagination are given equal weight in the story and maybe the biggest compliment I could give the writers is that it plays out as if written by a nine-year-old boy. And trust me, that’s a major compliment in the context of what this film is trying to accomplish.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/where-the-wild-things-are/24823/trailers

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The Invention of Lying

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: In a world where people can only tell the truth, an unremarkable, dumpy screenwriter (Ricky Gervais) discovers the art of lying and uses it to gain power, money, and hot chicks.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K., Tina Fey, Rob Lowe, Jeffrey Tambor, Fionnula Flanagan, Donna Sorbello, Nathan Corddry, Edward Norton, Martin Starr, Jason Bateman, Christopher Guest, Stephen Merchant, Shaun Williamson

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Fans of the original The Office, Extras, and Ricky Gervais in general, will find their typical chuckles here, but the film ultimately wastes a lot of great comedic acting talent on uninspired cameos, while also not living up to an incredibly inspired premise.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: No big belly laughs, but if you don't find Ricky Gervais funny on some level, you should sign up for a sense of humor class.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Ricky Gervais just might turn out to be a better dramatic actor than we ever suspected, and the scene in which he proves that may well bring tears.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most controversial movie that no one is talking about. Rarely has an Atheist declaration in a main stream film gotten so little attention.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Most of the characters are two dimensional caricatures of people that would never exist, saying ridiculous things with as much seriousness as they can muster. But within that, Jennifer Garner stands out, gamely proving once again why she is a true movie star, as she figures out a way to create a character out of nothing in a film that’s about as deep as a puddle of water.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I will admit to being a huge Ricky Gervais fan and he is credited as co-director on this, so it pains me to say that the direction is pretty bad. This is the sort of premise that would have really benefited from someone who could have put a visually creative world on screen, but instead, this movie consists of the most rudimentary of camera set-ups, moves and blocking.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The script feels like a first draft by an incredibly brilliant and hilarious writer. It has great potential, but the studio executives should have given these two major notes: "1. Half way through, The Invention of Lying becomes about the biggest lie of all. This is a great twist, but it has zero pay-off, zero consequences for our hero, and thus ends up being toothless and unnecessary. Cut it. You can stick with the love story as the main theme, and that will free up room in the script to develop a much stronger execution of the main premise: A world in which people can't lie. Then, when the film does well, because it's a brilliant execution of a brilliant premise, we'll use that interesting twist for the sequel-- where it too can be developed in the greater depth it deserves. Number 2: Just because people can only tell the truth in this movie-world doesn’t also mean they have to blurt out whatever insult they happen to be thinking at the time. What you have created is a world where no one has an inner monologue, so all their subconscious thoughts are revealed. That's not the same as a world where no one is capable of lying..." But on the flip side, the lack of rules does help the script conform to Ricky Gervais’ one-liners, reactions, and awkward brand of comedy.

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

A: While the story doesn't hold together, this is the type of movie that college students will discover on TV and DVD for years to come, finding depth and relevance in the humor, as well as the questions about whether or not there is a God. Mostly, they will see this depth because they are stoned on marijuana cigarettes.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/invention-of-lying/31194/trailers

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A Serious Man

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man's wife asks him for a divorce because she's fallen in love with their good friend, and right when he thinks things can't get any worse, they do, because Jewish people are cursed.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed, Sari Lennick, Aaron Wolff, Jessica McManus, Peter Breitmayer, David Kang, Adam Arkin, Amy Landecker, Alan Mandell, Simon Helberg, George Wyner, Allen Lewis Rickman, Yelena Shmulenson, Fyvush Finkel

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This parable will mean more to people who are Jewish than it will to the rest. But just because you're Jewish doesn't mean you'll like it, and just because you're not Jewish doesn't mean you won't.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: To answer that, I must ask you this: Are you the kind of person who usually laughs at a Coen Brothers dark comedy? And if you say yes, because you laughed at Fargo, I would ask you to re-examine your answer, by eliminating all the times you laughed because someone had a funny Minnesotan accent.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not if you're Jewish, because if you are Jewish, you will already know that life is meant to be filled with pain and agony, and there's no need to cry about it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: As is often the case with Coen Brothers movies, this one could well get an award for Most Overrated Movie of the Year. Especially since, much like with Pixar movies, most critics fear they would lose their credibility if they gave it anything less than a glowing thumbs up. I just happen to have a lot less fear than most critics.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: A cast of unrecognizable faces act like they've been making Coen Brothers movies for years.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: By far the best thing about any Coen Brothers movie is their signature style. The stills from this film could go up in a gallery next to stills for Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski, or even Burn After Reading, and you would instantly recognize that it was one artist (made up of two people) who shot them all.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This is where most of you will be lost. From moment to moment the emotions make sense and build on each other, but what it is all building toward, I'm not sure I could tell you. And to confuse (or clarify) matters more, there's the opening scene, which is rich and textured and disturbing, saying everything and nothing, as it stands alone, with no need for the feature length story that follows it. This brilliant scene could have won the Academy Award for Best Short Film, if only they hadn't tagged a 2 hour movie on the end of it. But how it relates back to the rest of the movie is speculative.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/a-serious-man/29878/trailers

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