The Ghost Writer

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man (Ewan McGregor) hired to ghost write a memoir for a controversial politician (Pierce Brosnan) gets caught up in a political plot that could potentially lead to his death.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson, Robert Pugh, Jon Bernthal, Timothy Hutton, James Belushi, Eli Wallach

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This thriller doesn't genuinely scare you because you're never quite sure what's going on. My opinion is that-- at least by the time it's over-- a thriller should make you feel smart.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The humor is so subtle, that the wife of the politician had to point out that the ghost writer was funny, before I even noticed that he'd been cracking jokes.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: From the architecture to the weather, it's cold and emotionless.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most exciting Behind the Scenes intrigue... you know what I'm talking about.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: You know that Ewan, Pierce, and Tom Wilkinson are always great so let's talk about Jon Bernthal, who stands out as someone to watch, even in this relatively small and standard role, as the writer's agent. James Belushi shows us that when you shave his head bald, he instantly transforms from comedic patriarch to serious dramatic actor. And Kim Cattrall, unfortunately, proves to have a limited range, both in acting and in accents.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Clearly comfortable in his skin, Roman Polanski doesn't showboat much in this piece, except for the last shot of the movie, which is the stuff that future film class history will be made of.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: You know something is wrong with the story when you notice the score building to something scary, and you find yourself looking around the screen wondering, "What am I supposed to be getting nervous about right now?" Ultimately, the political plot line is too complicated and hard to follow (especially in so much as people's motives are concerned), and the pay off doesn't make you feel like there was anything all that interesting to figure out in the first place.

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

A: Here are some questions for those of you who have seen it: What was the manuscript the lawyer gives Ewan at the beginning, and what was the significance of that in the movie? When he's at the Ferry motel, why does Ewan decide to trust Robert Rycart? Why does he write down the information he has figured out, and pass it in a note to the person it concerns? What was the very end conclusion trying to say? (I mean, beside the obvious action that occurs.) Why did that occur and what was the greater meaning of it?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-ghost-writer/32030/trailers

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Valentine's Day

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Love is really hard and painful, but if you can look past all of a person's personal crap, at least you will have someone to spend Valentine's Day with.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, Topher Grace, Jamie Foxx, Patrick Dempsey, Queen Latifah, Eric Dane, Bradley Cooper, Julia Roberts, Emma Roberts, Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner, Carter Jenkins, George Lopez, Bryce Robinson, Shirley MacLaine, Hector Elizondo, Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Matthew Walker, Larry Miller, Kristen Schaal, Erin Matthews, Julia Springer, Megan Suri

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This movie has too many falsities to mention, but if you can look past all of its personal crap, at least you will know that beautiful people can find each other in time to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are a couple of good laughs, several of which are in the credit bloopers, and one of which (for me), came after the preview for Clash of the Titans 3D-- it was a subscript that read "2D offered in some theaters!"

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I did. I felt really stupid about it at first, but then I ran into a friend in the bathroom, and she had also cried at the same part. I'm telling you this so that you don't have to feel stupid when you cry, too.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best looking couple. Pick one.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Let's talk about Taylor Swift. I can't decide if she is awful or brilliant. She plays a dumb, awkward high school student, and I didn't really buy her dumb act, but her awkward act is to perfection... to the point where it almost sells the dumb act by default. While we're on the topic of Taylors, Taylor Lautner gives a bizarrely stiff performance. And after seeing several of Rob Pattinson's recent indy film efforts, I think I'm starting to lean heavily toward team Edward-- at least where acting ability is concerned.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I love Garry Marshall so much. He doesn't come out to direct that often, but when he does, we can always count on him to bring the schmaltz!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: At first I was getting a headache from trying to keep all the characters and storylines straight, then I went through the part where I scoffed at how the characters and storylines crossed too coincidentally, and then I was frustrated by how easily many of the stories resolved. But by the end, there were some clever surprise twists, which you'll remember more than you'll forget how forgettable the rest of the movie is.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/valentines-day/37962/trailers

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Up in the Air

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A professional down-sizer (George Clooney) prides himself on having the perfect life, which consists of flying around the country firing people without ever having to make any real human connections. Then, two women (Anna Kendrick & Vera Farmiga) come along and create circumstances, at work and at play respectively, that force him to start doubting the validity of the lifestyle he has come to cherish.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Melanie Lynskey, Danny McBride, Zach Galifianakis, J.K. Simmons, Tamala Jones, Amy Morton

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This film is much closer in tone and style to Thank You for Smoking than it is to Juno-- which Reitman didn't write. If you loved Juno, this is nothing like it. If you loved Thank You for Smoking, you may be in business, as this story also focuses on justifying a controversial job, and how it makes the man who does it cold hearted. Ultimately, the film is extremely well done, but thoroughly depressing and anxiety inducing, so unless you can detach yourself from the feelings it's eliciting in you, watching this may not be all that enjoyable. Especially if you're experiencing the effects of the current economic climate.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: A lot of times you will think something is funny without actually having any urge to laugh about it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but in a weird way, it could inspire you to get back on your anti-depressant medication.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's highly likely to be nominated in the Screenplay, Directing, and Best Picture categories, but I think it's only got an outside chance of winning a WGA Award (Writers Guild of America).

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Vera Farmiga's face can say everything while doing nothing. George Clooney's face can say nothing much while doing anything. And Anna Kendrick's face only ever seems to say one thing, which I believe is something to the effect of, "The thing in my butt is stuck so far up there, that my gas has backed up all the way to my eyeballs, which I regularly have to squint and squeeze shut, in order to prevent myself from letting one rip out of my peep holes. And I really don't wanna do that, because then anyone who sees it will think I'm an eye-farting weirdo, and I totally can't handle the embarrassment." Just watch, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Jason Reitman knows what he's doing. From the moment the opening credits start to roll, he establishes his visual themes, setting them to high energy music that gets you fired up for what you are about to see, and he maintains his clearly defined personal style throughout. Did I just say "personal style"? Tyra would be so proud.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The craft is remarkable. This is one of those scripts that manages to clearly communicate almost all of what it wants to say without ever saying any of it directly. Unfortunately, the one place where it fails to communicate clearly is at the ending, which is ambiguous, and may or may not be completely devoid of hope, depending on how you chose to interpret it.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/up-in-the-air/34956/trailers

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