Win Win

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a lawyer (Paul Giamatti) decides to be the legal guardian to an old man with dementia (Burt Young), he doesn't realize that he's also about to get a surrogate son (Alex Shaffer).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Paul Giamatti, Alex Shaffer, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young, Melanie Lynsky, Margo Martindale, David Thompson, Clare Foley, Nina Arianda

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. People who can relate to growing up with a parent who's an addict, or making extreme decisions in the face of money struggles, or high school wrestling, may find brilliance in this piece. Everyone else will leave the theater having felt a little less than they were expecting to.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Bobby Cannavale's hatred for his ex-wife is about as strong as it gets. The rest of the humor is probably too quirky for most of you.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Could do, but mostly if you're dealing with any of the above listed problems... Like high school wrestling, for example.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: While we're on the topic, I'd like to take this moment to point out that I was in an Oscar pool with the editor of this film, and he cheated. He knows I wasn't pleased. I don't think he knows I have a blog, though.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Amy Ryan is the new Meryl Streep. Have I ever seen her do anything that wasn't 100% real? No, never. Actually, I'm starting to believe that she's not an actress at all, she's just this real person who goes from film to film saying all the stuff that's going on in her life, while actors say their lines around her.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Tom McCarthy has a very naturalistic style that you don't notice at all. After 3 very simple successful films, I'd be interested to see him challenge himself with something a little more stylized. I mean, he doesn't have to, I'm just curious to know if he can.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It deals with a lot of deep issues in a slightly comedic manner. The storyline works, however small the scope may be, but I would have liked to see the comedy be a little less slight.

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

A: Wrestling really is gay. And I don't mean that in the metaphorical way, like in The Dilemma, I mean it's really homosexual. I'd heard people joke about it my whole life. But there's a lot of it in this movie, and it's no joke. They're in leotards and their weenies are sticking out, and the goal is to get the other guy on the floor and wrap your legs around him. The only thing gayer I've ever seen is gay sex, and that's only because I've actually seen gay sex.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Win Win Trailer

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Conviction

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: This true story is about a Massachusetts woman (Hilary Swank), with only a GED from high school, who decides to get her BA and her Law Degree in order to prove that her brother (Sam Rockwell) is innocent of the crime he's been incarcerated for.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver, Owen Campbell, Conor Donovan, Bailee Madison, Tobias Campbell, Melissa Leo, Karen Young, Loren Dean, Clea DuVall, Juliette Lewis, Ari Graynor, Peter Gallagher

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you don't know anything about this story, you will be inspired and amazed by it. If you do know anything about this story, you will see a story about something you already know.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The people sitting behind me and kicking me in the back throughout the movie might've laughed once. But I think that's because they were whispering jokes to each other.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: After approaching me to apologize, the people sitting behind me and kicking me in the back throughout the movie claimed that they couldn't stop crying.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Juliette Lewis will get nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and she will probably win, despite the fact that she only has two scenes. I usually get this category right, so think of me when it comes time for your Oscar pools.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The people sitting behind me and kicking me in the back throughout the movie claimed that the acting was so good, they felt like they were watching a documentary. Despite my ongoing annoyance and back pain, I, too, had a chance to notice that the acting was of the highest caliber, with a special mention to my man, Sam Rockwell, for being consistently out of this world in everything he does.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The people sitting behind me and kicking me in the back throughout the movie claimed that it was a beautifully made film. The guy specifically responsible for all the kicking, even claimed that he used to be in the business, so he would know. But considering that he doesn't even know how to sit quietly in a movie theater, I'm gonna guess that he was a teamster. (For those of you who don't know, teamsters are the guys who drive the trucks and act like they're in the mob.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are some nice moments, but overall there is something missing. Knowing the outcome of the case took some of the wind out of it for me, but ultimately, while I could see the characters struggling, I never felt their struggle inside my own heart. The people sitting behind me and kicking me in the back throughout the movie would disagree, though. They felt it. Hell, they couldn't stop crying.

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

A: Oh my Gosh, I just got the title. You see, he gets a conviction, and his sister has conviction to overturn the conviction. Get it?... For a smart girl, I sure can be dumb sometimes.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/conviction/36474/trailers

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Mother and Child

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: 37 years after a teenage girl gives up her child for adoption, she (Annette Bening) is still haunted by the ways in which it ruined her life. Meanwhile, the daughter she doesn't know (Naomi Watts) has grown up to be cold and independent to a fault. And in a separate story, a woman who can't conceive (Kerry Washington), struggles to adopt a child of her own.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Annette Bening, Naomi Watts, Kerry Washington, Jimmy Smits, Samuel L. Jackson, Elpidia Carrillo, Shareeka Epps, S. Epatha Merkerson, Marc Blucas, Cherry Jones, Carla Gallo, Britt Robertson, David Morse, Amy Brenneman, Simone Lopez, Tatyana Ali, David Ramsey, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Eileen Ryan

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is a gut-wrenching, powerful drama that all women will be able to relate to, as well as those few men who are in touch with their feminine sides. In other words, while this is a great movie, it may appeal to men about as much as No Country for Old Men appeals to women.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: For a movie that is in no way billed as a comedy, you will be surprised at how many laughs fill each scene. But be warned, they are sophisticated laughs, about the real problems people sometimes have being nice to each other when the world around them seems to have nothing good to offer.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Yes, and you won't even have to feel ashamed about it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I foresee some acting awards, as well as a screenplay nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Annette Bening is so good that she manages to make herself look ugly using nothing but her personality. And by the way, Naomi Watts goes full frontal.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Rodrigo Garcia openly admits to not knowing how to direct actors. Instead of directing them, he is picky and painstakingly meticulous about casting the right person in each role, after which his technique is (and I quote): "When you have an actor who knows what he's doing, you as the director would do best to become the follower, not the leader. After all, you still get to take credit for their amazing work."

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Garcia enjoys leaving key details out of the dialogue, but most of them are well explained without words. He magically captures the unpredictable responses of that woman we've all encountered, whose life is going horribly. You know, the one who's always right in front of you in line at the post office or the grocery, yelling at the clerk for seemingly no reason besides that she really needs a punching bag today.

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

A: I learned in the Q & A that Samuel L. Jackson can be lured to most movies by that little brown envelope they call per diem and a guarantee of 2 days a week to play golf at the production company's expense.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/mother-and-child/10011344/trailers

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Two Lovers

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After a broken-off engagement, a suicidal man (Joaquin Phoenix) suddenly finds himself choosing between two beautiful women (Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw, Moni Moshonov, Isabella Rossellini, Elias Koteas, Jay O. Sanders, Bob Ari, Julie Budd

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Despite the high profile cast, this plays like another depressing indy movie that some people will call a beautiful portrait of love and its effect on the human condition, and which I will call a downer that was hardly worth the zero dollars I paid to see it.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The scene that introduces Gwyneth Paltrow is pretty funny. But that's about it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: While the experience of unrequited love will always summon tears in real life, this film doesn't transmit the experience beyond the actors' own sense memory exercises.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It was nominated for a Golden Palm at Cannes, which some of my friends who saw The Class (the winner of the Golden Palm), will tell you doesn't mean squat! Not my words, theirs... They know who they are.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Joaquin Phoenix gives the type of performance that often gets lauded. Personally, I found him to be totally creepy. Gwyneth Paltrow, on the other hand, who I haven't been much of a fan of in the past, gives a vibrant performance that jumps off the screen. Apparently, the role was written with her in mind. Meanwhile, Vinessa Shaw gives a performance that explains why she's been in a fair amount of high profile movies for the past ten years, and people are still asking "Who's this Vinessa Shaw person?" In other words, she'd be awesome as the lead in a procedural TV series.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: James Gray clearly makes an effort to step away from the standard angles and coverage for this imitation art film, and for that I give him credit. I know that sounded like half an insult, but it's just hard to give the director of We Own the Night the same "indy film" pass that I might give to a first time director who has no money, no stars, and no resources.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It introduces some interesting characters and an interesting dynamic between them, but I'm not sure what enjoyment or insight the writer was hoping to give the audience with this story, besides that some forms of entertainment just aren't very uplifting.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/two%20lovers/trailers

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