The Ides of March

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  As we go behind the scenes of the idealistic campaign of a hopey-changey Democratic Presidential candidate, we are exposed to just how dirty politicians have to get if they want to win elections.  It's disgusting and disheartening.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Even Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Max Minghella, Jennifer Ehle, Gregory Itzin, Michael Mantell

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Go!  The hopeful politics preached at the beginning are depressing.  You listen to this driveling propaganda, wishing that it could be real, but knowing in your heart that politicians themselves will ruin anything positive before it gets a chance of happening. Then the intrigue begins, and the story goes from being a platform for George Clooney's personal politics to an exciting mind-twisting political thriller that you can't figure out how to solve. 

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  This film has the darkest, driest funny line I have heard in a movie all year.  I'm pretty sure I was the only one in my showing who even got that it was funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  Not out loud, but oh so much...  How soon 'til we get to throw out every single person in Washington and start over, please?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  If Ryan Gosling gets an Acting nomination, I hope it's for this one and not for Drive.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Ryan Gosling is quickly becoming the Robert DeNiro of our time-- by which I mean that every actor in every acting class will start saying they aspire to be as good as him.  George Clooney is completely forgettable, as usual-- by which I mean, this is why he never made it as a "movie star." And Paul Giamatti, as much as I love him, has a scene where he totally overacts.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing in the opening scene had my mind buzzing with questions about why certain angles were being chosen, but before long, George Clooney reminds us that he's significantly more memorable behind the camera than in front of it.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  Not only are the plot twists unexpected, but many moments of dialogue are mind-boggling, too.  Don't know how much of this was lifted directly from Beau Willimon's play, "Farragut North," but since he co-wrote the script, I'm just gonna be happy that Aaron Sorkin's not the only one who can write stuff this good.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Ides of March Trailer

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The Guard

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A murder in small town Ireland brings an FBI agent (Don Cheadle) into an offbeat partnership with a very strange police officer (Brendan Gleeson).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan, Mark Strong, Fionnula Flanagan, Dominique McElligott, Sarah Greene, Katarina Cas, Pat Shortt, Darren Healy, Laurence Kinlan, Michael Og Lane, Owen Sharpe

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Today I challenge you to see a film that is smarter than you and nothing like any Hollywood movie you can think of... Except:

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not since Fargo has a crime mystery been so funny due to dialect.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not since Waking Ned Devine have the Irish been depicted in their own movie as so unabashedly shameless.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Not since Snatch has an English language film so badly needed English language subtitles.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Not since In Bruges has Brendan Gleeson played such a multi-dimentionally hilarious bad guy with a heart of gold.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Not since The Future has an independent film been shot so still, wide, and patient.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Not since Inception has there been a good ending so ambiguous, debatable, and intriguing.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Guard 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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