Another Earth

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: At the moment we discover another parallel Earth, a teenage girl (Brit Marling) drunk drives into a family of three, killing the wife and young son. When she gets out of jail, 4 years later, she tries to apologize to the surviving husband (William Mapother), and ends up becoming his maid instead, giving them an opportunity to get to know each other.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Brit Marling, William Mapother, Jordan Baker, Flint Beverage, Robin Lord Taylor, Kumar Pallana, Diane Ciesla

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Not since Birdie (1984) has a film that just barely holds my attention become an instant indy classic based 100% on the conclusion.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Did you laugh during Winter's Bone? Because this is just a repeat of that cold, dark tone, with a vastly different plot.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Gasp, yes. Empathize, yes. Cringe, yes. Cry? It's almost too depressing for that simple of an emotion.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won two special prizes at Sundance. Why do you think I went to see it?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Brit Marling, much like Jennifer Lawrence, is a beautiful blond playing a low class dirty tough chick. Unlike Jennifer Lawrence, Brit Marling fails at hiding her beauty in this role. But I can definitely see why everyone was talking about her after Sundance. She's an A-lister in the making. William Mapother also breaks out in this role, although I personally wasn't nearly as impressed with his acting or his beauty. (And a lot of the time I was distracted by looking for similarities between him and his cousin Tom Cruise (maiden name "Mapother"), of which there are plenty.) Special mention to Jordan Baker, in the tiny role of Brit Marling's mom, because she reminds me of Diane Keaton, and on Another Earth, could've had her career.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Mike Cahill makes his directing debut with this incredibly Sundance-y looking film. The Winter's Bone influence works well enough, but on more than one occasion, he uses dissolves in a way that reminds me of a cheesy 1970s Steely Dan Video.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Brit Marling and Mike Cahill, who have collaborated before and I assume are dating (this is how rumors get started), write a slow, quiet, and somber movie with enough poignant dilemmas to keep your attention until the Inception-like ending, which puts the whole story over the top.

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

A: I know this is terrible to bring up, but I'd like to take wagers on how many months Brit Marling can make it in Hollywood without getting a boob job. I don't normally notice this through clothes, but she's the most flat-chested actress I've seen since Selma Blair. I'm giving her 2 more flat chested movies, and by the 3rd, I'm expecting to see a C-cup. So, I guess that adds up to about 9 months. Come on, you love me because I'm honest!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Another Earth Trailer

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

(Guest Review by Jack)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: If you haven’t figured what this series is about by part 8 out of 8, you obviously don’t get to the movies that much- so why are you reading this blog? (Note from Monique: Don't answer that. I don't care about your reasons. Just read, read away!)

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The same little kids from the first 7 movies- only 10 years less cute-looking now.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Even if you have not seen all the rest of them, they have plenty of recap dialogue to catch you up, and this one is a fine way to end it! That said, you may want still want to (re)visit the last one on Blu Ray, because it's fun!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are a couple of forced moments with Filch (The Hogwarts Caretaker), but it's mainly just an action movie.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it should have. Again, they missed the emotional mark with this series– at least in comparison to the books.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: As usual, the tech credits are all top notch. People have started talking about the Academy finally recognizing the series, but really, it's no Lord of the Rings in terms of overall storytelling and creative excellence.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The best thing about the series is the casting. They really got lucky with those kids!

Q: How is the Directing?

A: David Yates provides plenty of exciting sequences and the movie starts even before you see the WB logo – so get ready, because it's action packed from the moment it fades in. (BTW, I saw this in 2D because all the others were that way – and I was already feeling dizzy that night. But my sister saw it in 3D and says that the added dimension actually makes some of the epic battle scenes easier to follow.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The book was great. This movie, like most of its predecessors, feels like Cliff’s Notes. But because this film only covers one third of the last book, it is not nearly as bad off as many of the previous films. In fact, between you and me, the only other HP movie that really worked for me was Order of the Phoenix. Too often, these movies have failed to capture the emotional power of the books. Thankfully, this is one of the good ones.

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

A: This is the final chapter in the Harry Potter saga… For some of you out there, this brings a sigh of relief. You never have to hear of HP again. For the rest of us, who have loved the books and wished they never ended, this is like a death in the family. We will miss them dearly, but we must be grateful for the joy our loved ones brought us while they were relevant to pop culture.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Trailer

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Friends with Benefits

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man (Justin Timberlake) and woman (Mila Kunis) become best friends after they each get dumped for being "damaged," and to prove the point, they decide to have casual sex on a regular basis, while attempting to maintain their best-friendship.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins, Bryan Greenberg, Nolan Gould, Andy Samberg, Emma Stone, Shaun White, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's a little edgier than No Strings Attached, and they really are friends first this time, but it's hard to enjoy the rom-com process when the entire first half of the film makes you feel like an idiot for enjoying rom-coms.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The laughs are slight but plentiful.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Your eyes might get teary at the end, but then you'll remember how at the beginning these very characters called you a wuss for buying into the romance that movies like this sell. So as thirsty as you may feel, you will suddenly get an uncontrollable urge to not drink the Kool-Aid. (And to those people sitting next to me, I got mascara in my eye.)

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It Smells Like the 70s Just Got a Lot More Puritanical Award... For all the sex they have, most of it is hidden under sheets -- very un-70s. But you will get a naked butt shot of both Justin and Mila during non-sex scenes, so at least people still walk around naked in the privacy of their own movie.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I apologize in advance, but as much as we love him on SNL, on the big screen Justin Timberlake is completely flat. I'm sure he's charming and charismatic in person -- I've heard nothing but good things -- but his charm and charisma just aren't photogenic.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Nothing really stands out in the directing, except for how big and creepy Mila Kunis's eyes are in the first scene. I think they're gorgeous, myself. How about you? Creepy or stunning?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The beginning of the script is so punchy and clever, that you know it was a good read. Unfortunately, when put on its feet, it feels more forced than clever. The second half of the film is more grounded, and is therefore more compelling.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Friends with Benefits Trailer

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Project Nim

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A family of wacky hippies in the 70s decides it's a good idea to move a baby chimp (Nim) into their Upper West-side Brownstone and raise him like a human being, teaching him to communicate through sign language.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Stephanie, Herb, Laura, Bob, and a bunch of other first names they made a point of writing across the screen real big, which I don't remember.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The pace is fairly slow, then it overcompensates to keep your attention with suspenseful music and intriguing camera pans that imply that something fatal is around the corner. SPOILER ALERT: nothing is.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yeah, the 70s are funny as shit, no matter how many monkeys got hurt in the process.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It didn't me, because I'm a cold-hearted animal non-worshiper-- by which I mean that I would never put their needs before those of human beings. That said, some pretty messed up things end up happening to this monkey.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It did win the Best Documentary award at the Newport Beach Film Festival, but the Newport Beach Film Festival wins the award for the Closest Film Festival to Los Angeles that No One in Hollywood has Ever Been to.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: One of the best things about this movie is its demonstration of how, in researching this monkey, humans once again prove that they themselves are the stupidest species in the Animal Kingdom.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Similarly to how I felt about James Marsh's previous effort, Man on Wire, there is a constant impending sense of doom, which never leads to doom, and therefore leaves me feeling very... shall we say, "tantric"?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I'm pretty certain that this is the best story coming out this summer about monkeys acting like humans. I'm talking to you Rise of the the Planet of the Apes! DISCLAIMER: I haven't seen Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The trailer was quite enough for me, thank you very much! Rise of the Planet of the Apes Trailer

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Project Nim Trailer

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Zookeeper

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A zookeeper (Kevin James) finds out that the animals can talk, when they try to reunite him with the woman who broke his heart (Leslie Bibb).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb, Ken Jeong, Donnie Wahlberg, Joe Rogan, Nat Faxon, Steffiana De La Cruz, Nick Turturro, Brandon Keener, and the voices of: Nick Nolte, Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Cher, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Maya Rudolph, Bas Rutten, Don Rickles, Jim Breuer

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Here's what happened to me... I tried to take my almost 3 year old niece to see the movie with talking cars, but the Arclight didn't let us in because they were more than 10 minutes into the previews. She was disappointed, so I agreed to take her to the movie with talking animals instead. Turns out that talking animals are really scary to an almost 3 year old-- especially when voiced by the dulcet tones of Nick Nolte, Sylvester Stallone, and Faizon Love. So we left after 20 minutes. Unfortunately for me, the first 20 minutes were really promising, so I went back the next day to see the rest.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: A few times in the first 20 minutes. Less when I found out what the ride I was on was really gonna be like.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It made my niece cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Beastiality Scene in a PG movie. (Thanks to the beautiful and charming Katrina Begin of Minnesota.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Kevin James is great. I know, I really just said that. But the voice cast is a-nnoy-ing! Especially Maya Rudolf as the giraffe. She's lucky she's in Bridesmaids, because otherwise, this could've marked the beginning of a dry spell for her. And why did Judd Apatow suddenly decide he needed to add acting to his resume? Isn't he busy enough?

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Seeing it a second time, I realized that it was the lighting and the score that were scaring my niece almost as much as the deep voiced lions, bears, and gorilla. But I think the fact that I had to explain to her several times that it was supposed to "funny" not "scary" kind of says it all.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Well it has 5 writers, so you know how that goes. But at least they got a T.G.I.Fridays promotion in there, so everyone could get paid and laugh all the way to the bank! Honestly, it's not that bad if you like movies that are completely predictable in every way.

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

A: A Gorilla in T.G.I.Fridays is totally disturbing even if he does speak English and wear a shirt. Speaking of which, whatever happened to "No shoes, no shirt, no service"? Dude isn't even wearing pants!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Zookeeper Trailer

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Horrible Bosses

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Three guys (Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis) with horrible bosses (Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, and Colin Farrell) hatch a plan to kill each others bosses.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Donald Sutherland, Lindsay Sloane, Julie Bowen, P.J. Byrne, Wenell Pierce, Ron White, Ioan Gruffudd, Isaiah Mustafa, Bob Newhart

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Of course you have to suspend disbelief during most parts of the beginning, middle, and end, didn't you read what it's about? The murderers are the good guys!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Lots of laughs. And speaking of Charlie Day, I've met more than one guy who has told me that if he could be anyone, he would be Charlie Day. With every Charlie Day movie (and episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) that I see, I understand more and more why they love him, and less and less why they would want to be him.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I feel sad for Colin Farrell's career up until now. Why didn't he ever show us before that he can be really, really funny when ugly?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Shot of a Parking Lot... There are several shots of parking lots in this movie, so I'm pretty sure director, Seth Gordon, was shooting for that award.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I read a snippet of a review that said that Jennifer Aniston was miscast in this role, but I disagree. I think the role of a nymphomaniac rapist is a nice stretch for her, and that anyone who can't accept her range is just too attached to her being Rachel all the time.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Functional and utilitarian, except for the shot of the parking lot, which shows glimpses of genius.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are a lot of good one-liners, the characters feel fresh (except for Jason Bateman and Kevin Spacey, who have played those characters a lot of-- let's just say "every" time), and the story holds together well for a story that could only exist in nowhere.

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

A: Rat Poison: I appreciate the wink to 9 to 5, one of my all time favorite movies.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Horrible Bosses Trailer

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Monte Carlo

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A case of mistaken identity sends a random girl from Texas (Selena Gomez) to Monte Carlo with her two friends (Leighton Meester & Katie Cassidy) in place of an English heiress (Selena Gomez).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Selena Gomez, Katie Cassidy, Leighton Meester, Luke Bracey, Cory Monteith, Pierre Boulanger, Catherine Tate, Andie MacDowell, Brett Cullen, Christophe Malavoy, Guilio Berruti, Bruno Abraham-Kremer

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. On a couch with your girlfriends and a good sense of humor, this experience could be a lot of fun. In a movie theater by yourself it's pretty uninspiring.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I find it funny that millions of tween-aged Selena Gomez fans are going to leave this movie wishing they might someday have an opportunity to commit identity fraud.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I find it sad that the little girl in the elevator leaving the movie said that her favorite scene was the one where the heiress was tied up and gagged. Then again, to pull off a successful identity fraud, it usually does become necessary to also get involved in kidnapping, theft, and harassment.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: This award goes to the Tourism Board of Monte Carlo, which clearly comes out the big winner on this one. Yes! I want to go there NOW!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Katie Cassidy will get your attention-- mostly because you may not have seen her before. Everyone else in the movie doesn't do themselves any favors... or harm.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Tom Bezucha's directing probably has a lot to do with the award the Tourism Board of Monte Carlo won above. In fact, there were several times that I noticed artistry in composition-- which is pretty rare for a teen bubble gum flick. So, yeah, good job, man!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Allow me to share with you the set-up of this movie. An English heiress finds herself in Paris, in the same bathroom of the same hotel, as an American girl who looks the same as her. Big coincidence, right? Here's a bigger coincidence: the American girl who looks the same as her is in a bathroom stall at the time, so the heiress never sees her, but the American girl's two friends see the heiress, so they are able to hatch the plan to assume her identity. And that's just the first of many coincidences that this story relies on to exist.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Monte Carlo Trailer

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