Our Idiot Brother

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man (Paul Rudd) is so sweet and naive in his belief in the good in people that he gets himself and his three sisters into a lot of trouble. But it's also because he has a big mouth.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Rashida Jones, Steve Coogan, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, T.J. Miller, Shirley Knight, Matthew Mindler, Sterling Brown, Hugh Dancy, Janet Montgomery, Lydia Haug

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! This is a very sweet character and a perfectly sweet movie, but there's nothing engaging about any of it.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It is marketed as a broad comedy and it's not. There are still some good clever laughs, but the humor is much more subdued than you might think. It's almost British, in fact.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Still not engaging.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Movie I've Ever Told You Not to See... It's going to be more enjoyable on the small screen anyway. Wait for that.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: There are a lot of stand out performances. Paul Rudd is perfectly dumb. Elizabeth Banks is a perfectly uptight bitch, not dissimilarly to Kathryn Hahn's perfectly hippie bitch.While T.J. Miller is perfect at seeming like he's understudying for the role of the idiot brother.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There is an energy missing from the film that keeps it from being as fun as it should be, and it seems to have something to do with the directing.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It just doesn't feel original in any way... and you really want it to.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Our Idiot Brother Trailer

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The Dilemma

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a guy (Vince Vaughn) finds out that his best friend's wife (Winona Ryder) is cheating, he has to figure out whether or not to tell him (Kevin James)... But really he's just figuring out how to tell him, because he's pretty much going to do it.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum, Queen Latifah, Amy Morton, Chelcie Ross

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This movie doesn't live up to any of its participants' usual standards... not even Kevin James'. Thankfully, most audiences don't hold Hollywood films to much of a standard... especially Kevin James'.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Someone who was involved with this film warned me beforehand that one should really approach this movie as if it were a drama, because it's not funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: As mentioned above, it is a drama, so... no.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Remember when GLAAD got all up in arms about the preview in which Vince Vaughn calls the electric car gay? Well they didn't take the joke out, and they should have! Not because the joke was offensive, but because it was gay. For that, I'm giving GLAAD the Most Embarrassing Attempt to Create Controversy Out of Nothing Award, for their work on The Dilemma. They should have targeted one of the many movies with gay jokes that are actually funny. Those are the ones people will repeat to their friends.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Winona Ryder is the only one in the lot who should add this film to her showcase reel. And maybe Channing Tatum, too, because he needs to show that he can play a role besides "guy in the military."

Q: How is the Directing?

A: For a Ron Howard movie, it's really ugly. I'm guessing that his cinematographer, Salvatore Totino, was offended that he suddenly got relegated to shooting a comedy, and the lighting in this film was his way of sticking it to the man.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The real dilemma with this premise is that there is no dilemma. If it's your best friend and you know for a fact that he's being duped, you tell. The only real issue is figuring out when and how to present it, and that just doesn't have enough conflict or suspense to rest a whole movie script on.

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

A: The invention the main characters are trying to sell to Queen Latifah is stupid. If people want electric cars that make more engine noise (which is crazy that they would), then why don't they just link an additional sound system to the movement of the gas pedal that makes it sound like it's making more noise depending on how hard you step on the gas? If you balance the bass right, it'll even make the car shake-- as proven since the 1980s, by every low rider to ever have pumped up the bass on their rap music. So why would anyone build a whole new engine just to make more noise? Anyway, the people who want noisy engines are never buying electric cars in the first place. If they cared about people or the environment enough to buy an electric car, they wouldn't be so rude as to purposely cause their cars to create eardrum-busting noise pollution causing innocent passerbys to jump out of their skin-- do your market research, people! You've missed your demo.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Dilemma Trailer

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The Square

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man's (David Roberts) elicit lover (Claire van der Boom) finds out that her husband (Anthony Hayes) has secretly stashed away a whole bunch of money, which he probably acquired illegally. When the lovers plan to steal the money and run away together, the steps they take to cover their tracks make things worse and worse and worse and worse for them.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: David Roberts, Claire van der Boom, Joel Edgerton, Anthony Hayes, Peter Phelps, Hanna Mangan Lawrence, Brendan Donoghue, Lucy Bell, Kieran Darcy-Smith, Damon Herriman, Bill Hunter

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's never quite clear what the couple's plan is from the start, and there are several moments when you wonder what they are thinking with their actions and reactions. But there's a short film by the director that plays before the feature, and that's pretty good.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The short film ends on one of the darkest, sickest belly laughs you've ever had.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There is no one to root for, because everyone in this is at a complete lack for morals. You won't cry for the characters, but it is sad when a baby almost dies.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: This was a very important film in Australia, if you judge by the 13 nominations it accumulated on that continent. But if this film had been made independently in America, it probably wouldn't have gotten picked up for distribution, except maybe on Netflix.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Nobody is bad, but despite the cute accents and home-grown expressions, I didn't see any star making performances either.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Nash Edgerton's style truly stands out. Most of the scares and shocks come from the way in which he shoots one angle, and then surprises you with something you had no way to see coming-- because it comes from off camera. Abruptly. His technique is interesting and original, but he uses it in the short film, so by the time you get to the feature, he starts to look like a one trick pony.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story beats also quickly begin to feel like cheap tricks, as people get accidentally killed and injured out of nowhere on a regular basis, almost as a convenience to jolt you back into the story every time your interest starts to wane. If nothing else, the movie helps you realize how fragile human life is, and how quickly it can come to an end over nothing. So, Watch Out!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-square/38042/trailers

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Chloe

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a woman (Julianne Moore) finds out her husband (Liam Neeson) is cheating, she hires an escort (Amanda Seyfried) to hit on him and see how he responds.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Max Thieriot, Nina Dobrev, R.H. Thompson

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's in the same genre as Fatal Attraction, but with a twist... and some hot girl on girl action.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I'm not sure if that was on the top of its list of things to do.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not cry, but definitely squirm.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Men like to say that women are crazy, but I find that when women act crazy in relationships, a lot of the time it is their men's behavior that is driving them to it. This movie has my vote for the Best Depiction of How Men Make Women Lose their Minds Award.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Amanda Seyfried has the most incredible eyes. All she has to do is tilt her head down and look up, and you will believe anything she says.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Most of the time you don't notice it, and then there's the part where Atom Egoyan slowly pans Julianne Moore's naked body while she's in the shower, and then, in case you missed it on the first pass, comes back to a shot of her breasts and her long pointy nipples, and just rests his camera there for a good 10 seconds for absolutely no reason... like a baby grabbing for his mother's teat when he's no longer in the mood for milk.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Erotically thrilling.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/chloe/1430056/trailers

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Did You Hear About the Morgans?

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Can an estranged Manhattan couple (Hugh Grant & Sarah Jessica Parker), who have been separated for 3 months, survive the Wyoming countryside together, when they are forced to hide out, as part of the witness protection program?

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, Elisabeth Moss, Jesse Liebman, Kim Shaw, David Call, Wilford Brimley, Michael Kelley, Gracie Bea Lawrence

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! What is it about movies that have question marks in the title?

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Did you hear about the one where the city dwellers have to go to the country and are fish out of water amongst gun-toting, rodeo-riding, God-fearing simple folk? Hahahahahaha! Just Kidding.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Does it make you sad when you know what's going to happen in a movie before you hear about it?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Did you hear about the Razzies?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Did you hear about Sarah Jessica Parker's career choices? Don't you hope she's less annoying in the Sex and the City sequel?

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Did this director hear some kind of dirty little secret about Hugh Grant that he holds over him when he wants to force him out of retirement, so that he can have a big star in his movie? Does Hugh Grant hate his job as much as he seems to?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Did you hear about how people think romantic comedies are the basest type of Hollywood dreck? Does the writer understand that this is the kind of cleverlessness that makes people think that? Did you hear about how upsetting it is to me, and other lovers of the genre, to see it done without passion or originality, only reinforcing its bad reputation to nay-sayers?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/did-you-hear-about-the-morgans/35588/trailers

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It's Complicated

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: 10 years after her husband leaves her for a younger woman, Jane (Meryl Streep) finds herself having an affair with her ex-husband (Alec Baldwin), behind his new young wife's back.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, John Krasinski, Lake Bell, Zoe Kazdan, Hunter Parrish, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Mary Kay Place, Rita Wilson, Alexandra Wentworth, Emjay Anthony

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. While most good romantic comedies leave you a feeling like you want to fall giddy in love, this one instead, leaves you feeling like you want to fall giddy into bed with someone, so you can feel giddy the next day about how you fell giddy into debauchery.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are some funny set pieces having to do with old people smoking pot, old people being naked, and old people getting caught being bad. Yeah, old people are pretty funny when they do young people stuff.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're from a family of divorce, you may be as moved as I was to see how loving it can feel to have all the scattered pieces of your original brood, back together around the lunch table, like it was old times.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Meryl Streep is competing against herself for the Golden Globe. Unfortunately for this gourmet chef, the other one is probably going to win.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Let's skip over the people we already know are great, and get right to the fact that the 3 children they supposedly conceived together are terrible. From the first frame to the last, every reaction they have is over the top and seems fake-- like they were plucked right out of their beginning acting classes to do this film. Only Hunter Parrish gets a pass, for being so cute, and reminding me of a young Ethan Hawke (minus the acting skills-- don't want to offend Ethan).

Q: How is the Directing?

A: As guest reviewer, Russ, pointed out to me, Nancy Meyers' directing is like an add for Williams-Sonoma. Although Meryl Streep has a beautiful and large kitchen, she dreams of having (--and is finally hoping to get in this movie--) a beautiful and large kitchen. As Russ put it, "It's like rich people's problems." I imagine it's easier to shoot a family of five (plus an ex-husband) in a beautiful and large kitchen. I imagine that's why she didn't choose to shoot the multiple kitchen scenes in an ugly and small kitchen. But I can't imagine how the renovations she's making on her house will do anything besides give her a smaller backyard.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Nancy Meyers clearly goes to a lot of trouble to make her two main characters somewhat likeable in the midst of their despicable act of cheating. I also respect and admire that she's telling original stories about older women in modern times. I'm learning so much about what is to come for me, although by the time I'm that old, modern times will be different than they are now, so I may need to learn entirely new lessons at that point. I also want to applaud her for several moments where the characters' reactions to a situation are not what you'd expect. The one thing I feel dissatisfied by, however, is why does Steve Martin's character have to be so damn dull? It certainly doesn't make you root for him to win the girl.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/its-complicated/34200/trailers

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Nine

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Set in 1965 Italy, a famous director (Daniel Day-Lewis) conjures up musical fantasies about the various women in his life to deal with the debilitating creative crisis preventing him from writing the script for his next epic film.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Sophia Loren, Stacy ‘Fergie’ Ferguson

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. I’m being generous with this rating (‘tis the season and all) because I’m aware there are a lot of people out there who love musicals and are big fans of the parade of Academy Award winning actresses who star in Nine. But unless high fashion and artful lighting can hold your interest for two hours, this movie is a total snoozer.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are some laughs – most provided by Judi Dench when giving Daniel Day-Lewis life-advice, or telling him how easy directing a film is. She shrewdly points out all he has to do is answer “yes” or “no” when asked a question and she’s pretty much right.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Maybe if you well up when watching daytime soaps because that’s the sort of melodrama this movie eventually devolves into.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Outside of costume and art direction? I hope not.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: There’s not much story here and the characters fare even worse when it comes to any kind of arc, so every actor must rely on their own star wattage, singing voice and the song they’ve been given to sing. (Each actress gets one number, except for Marion Cotillard who gets two because she’s the wife, I guess.) With these criteria in hand, I can safely say that the lone non-professional actress in the cast, Stacy Ferguson (better known as pop star “Fergie”) comes out on top. She gets the best song (‘Be Italian’), is the best singer and her screen presence can’t be denied. Here’s hoping we see her in better movies in the future. Kate Hudson has the best overall number thanks to the upbeat song and staging that both revels in and satirizes the 1960s high-fashion period. After that, each actress is very good, but to no discernible point when it comes to advancing a story. And as the lead, Daniel Day-Lewis is a man who hates women underneath the veneer of loving them. In other words, he’s not a guy you’re going to care about all that much.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Rob Marshall sure knows his way around a stage, choreography, lighting and costumes. But in comparison to his brilliant achievement with Chicago, Nine is a complete misfire. He’s saddled with film actors who can sing, but none who can dance so that completely restricts the choreography and edits. Next, he has no story to work with and lame songs, so I guess there’s only so much he could do. To his credit however, the movie looks stunning and if nothing else, it made me want to climb into a time machine and be transported back to 1965 Rome so I could drink wine and eat pasta with Sophia Loren, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: So this is a movie about a famous director who can’t figure out the story for his next film but is preparing to shoot it anyway. How bad of a premise is that for a film? It’s horrible in case you’re not keeping up; unless you’re Federico Fellini, and you’re not. And the actual film we’re watching has no plot and is about as boring as reading a script with no words on the page. So maybe I’ve got it all wrong, maybe Nine is a brilliant meta-type exercise in reflecting back a creation of someone who can’t create and therefore leaves us watching something that is, like, non-existent as an actual movie. I think I’m working too hard now to justify this mess. The script is bad.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

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

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