Morning Glory

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An up-and-coming morning show producer (Rachel McAdams) gets hired way out of her league on a show that's tanking in the ratings, has a majority of difficult personalities working on it, and the morale of a prison camp.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, John Pankow, Matt Malloy, Ty Burrell, J. Elaine Marcos, Arden Myrin

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's predictable and fluffy, but considering its main point is to validate the very fluffiness we all seem to give our attention to when asked to choose between things that are mindless and things that are intellectual, it's almost impossible to judge it adversely for ultimately being trite.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Physical morning show comedy from a particularly untalented weather caster will have you belly laughing for a good minute and a half.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it might get you banging your head against a wall about how often Rachel McAdams' character purposely bangs her head against a wall, or her hand, or whatever may happen to be in her proximity. Personally, I haven't banged my head against a wall since I was 9, and I found out that Ronald Reagan had just won the Presidency. Shortly thereafter, I found out that banging your head against cement hurts, and when something has just made you feel bad, the bruises and scratches on your forehead will only make you feel worse. By the end of the movie, McAdams actually has a line of dialogue where she says, "I feel like I'm banging my head against the wall." Which for me only aggravated my aggravation, because as a nine-year-old I knew that yes, banging your head against the wall does make you feel like you're banging your head against the wall.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: This movie is being compared to an update of Broadcast News, which was nominated for 7 Academy Awards. But this movie is not Broadcast News, this movie is the fluffication of Broadcast News if you were to fast-forward Broadcast News 23 years into a future society where nobody has the intellectual capacity anymore to care about real news. Welcome to today, and just remember, when you choose to watch junk, you cause the ratings of junk to go up, which leads to being served more junk. But that's what you want, right?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The acting is the one aspect of this movie that truly is comparable to Broadcast News. Rachel McAdams has a scene where she goes from excited to depressed in one stagnant shot, and the only thing that changes on her entire smiling face are the tears that suddenly, almost imperceptibly show up in her eyes. Diane Keaton gets hotter and funnier with age. And I'm not mentioning Harrison Ford because I'm too busy wondering how a man who over-acts, under-acts, and has virtually no comic timing, has a career... Oh yeah, he was Han Solo, 33 years ago. Lucky for him.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: One shot, when she finds out she gets the job, is overly showy and obvious, but in the rest of the film, Roger Michell finds ways to work around difficult transitions and even add laughs.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Aline Brosh McKenna has a way of making it all look so easy. The dialogue is cute, though not often laugh out loud. The happy Hollywood ending, on the other hand, has a few elements to it that made me very uncomfortable about how things are going to be for these people about two months after the movie ends. Once you've seen it, let me know if you felt that, too.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/morning-glory/31567/trailers

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Megamind 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Megamind (Will Ferrell) was born evil, so it's his moral obligation to conquer good. But when he finally succeeds, he goes into full-fledged identity-crisis mode.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross, Brad Pitt, Ben Stiller, J.K. Simmons

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's cute, but the superhero movie has been so overdone, that there's not much left to imagine about it that's fresh or original.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The superhero movie has been so overdone, that it's easy to make jokes out of all the cliches that aren't fresh or original, and that can be quite original.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Your kids might cry when one of the characters announces that there's no Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy. I suggest you prepare a comeback (read: lie) to tell them, if you want to keep the myth alive after they see this. Hey, maybe that's why it's rated PG, so you don't bring kids who are too young to find out that their stupid old teeth aren't really worth money to anybody, and the brown egg-shaped things that comes out of a rabbit's butt aren't really chocolate.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Prettiest Eyes... Or is it Giantest Eyes?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: It's animated, so it's weird that they were able to come up with characters who fit Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, and Jonah Hill's shtick so perfectly... It's also weird that they're all so much better looking in this movie.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: What I love about 3D is that after you pay a $4 surcharge, you get confused and a headache for about 5 minutes, and then you totally forget that you're watching 3D. It's worth it... Okay, I obviously have a vendetta against this whole trend, but for those of you who like 3D (read: idiots), I should tell you that director, Tom McGrath, uses it very well. By the way, no offense. (Did that work? Are you not offended now?)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Will Ferrell's evil character is so sweet that you sort of know right from the start where the story's gonna go, so the only question you're left asking yourself is "how?" In this case, the how gets somewhat convoluted with a body switch scenario that goes in 3 Directions. Yet another example of one too many Ds.

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

A: Prepare to introduce your children to the smooth vocal stylings of Ozzy Osborne and AC/DC.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/megamind/33136/trailers

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Due Date

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: On the way to his baby's birth, an angry man (Robert Downey Jr.) has the misfortune of crossing paths with a blissfully unaware idiot (Zach Galifianakis), and before they know it, their paths to Los Angeles become inexorably linked.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Jamie Foxx, Juliette Lewis, Danny McBride, RZA, Matt Walsh, Todd Phillips, and Sunny the Dog in the part of Sonny the Dog.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. While there are enough laughs and emotion to satisfy most comedy fans, the story's forward motion relies on your suspension of disbelief, not once but about 10 times. And sometimes, when you have to suspend disbelief that much, it can snap you right out of the movie.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Enough. But not at the line from the trailer, "Chiggety-check yourself before you wreck yourself," because that stopped being either funny or original circa 1994, when you, I, and everyone we know used it so much that we wore out its welcome.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're afraid of heights, there's a long scene that will probably make you a little queasy.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: To me this is the Best Zombie Movie of the year, because there are several incidents where the characters could only have come out alive if they were living dead.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: This a-hole character is not flattering to RDJ, and I found myself actively missing Tony Stark. Zach Galifianakis though, actually has a few surprisingly powerful dramatic moments. Based on this performance, I would consider casting him in a serious dramatic role. I'm not joking.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Todd Phillips gave himself a role in this movie, and nailed the tone of the character perfectly. Which is especially impressive when you consider that he didn't really nail the tone of the movie itself. The tone of the movie is trying to be broad-- which would've forgiven the frequent suspension of disbelief moments-- but aside from a few of the jokes, it's not.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The hardest thing about writing a movie in the vein of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, is figuring out how you're going to justify keeping the two characters together, despite the fact that they're not getting along. Some writers come up with solid justifications. These writers did that a few times, and then just got bored with logic... Then again, who needs logic when you can fall back on suspension of disbelief.

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

A: The Soundtrack. I turned to the person next to me at least three times to mention how much I liked a song that was playing. I know what you're thinking, "Shame on you, Monique, for talking during a movie!" And I agree with you. I'm ashamed.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/due-date/38944/trailers

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The Next Three Days

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a man's (Russell Crowe) wife (Elizabeth Banks) is incarcerated for a crime he knows she didn't commit, he constructs a plan to break her out of jail himself.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Ty Simpkins, Olivia Wilde, Lennie James, Liam Neeson, Brian Dennehy, Helen Carey, Jason Beghe, Aisha Hinds, Allan Steele, Michael Buie, Moran Atias, RZA, Daniel Stern, Kevin Corrigan, Peyton Grace Allen

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Both the good guys and the bad guys are so many steps ahead of each other, that you get to a point where you're not sure if the good guys are bad or the bad guys are good.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There's not a lot of room for humor when you're trying to keep the tension high.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not really, but things sure can get awkward when your mom is in prison. And sometimes, it's really hard not to take it out on her.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Paul Haggis, Russell Crowe, and a November 19th release date... probably.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I love Elizabeth Banks, especially in comedies, but as hard as she tries in some of her difficult dramatic moments, you never forget that she's acting opposite Russell Crowe, and she's just not on his level.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It starts out dull and boring, much like the lives of the protagonists, and it ratchets up as the suspense builds.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Paul Haggis is an Academy Award winning screenwriter, and yet there's something about this French remake of Pour Elle that feels like it's simply a translation of the original screenplay. Though, to be clear, that's not an insult to the original film... Which, to be even more clear, I didn't see.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-next-three-days/1441492/trailers

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Fair Game

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The true story of how Ambassador Joe Wilson and his wife, CIA agent Valerie Plame, had inside information about how the reasons we waged war against Iraq in 2003 were a lie. They knew for a fact that we'd been lied to because they were the ones who had done the reconnaissance proving that Iraq had no Weapons of Mass Destruction. But when Wilson spoke up about his findings-- or lack thereof-- Vice President Cheney's office outed Valerie Plame's status as a covert agent, compromising all of the missions she had been working on for her country, and causing the deaths of hundreds of innocent people. And that's not counting all the soldiers and civilians who were killed in the war.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, David Andrews, Michael Kelly, Sam Shepard, Bruce McGill, Noah Emmerich, Liraz Charhi, Brooke Smith, Ty Burrell, David Denman, Tim Griffin, David Warshofsky, Kristoffer Ryan Winters, Anand Tiwari, Ashley Gerasimovich, Quinn Broggy, and George W. Bush as himself.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! We were lied to. You should care.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If any of Joe Wilson's dialogue is accurate, he's a funny guy!

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Excuse me? You've read this review this far and you're not crying already?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Hopefully Best Picture, but I'm giving it the Patriot Award, because these people stood up for what's right, even though it was the President who was wrong. And you'd have to be a true red-blooded American to do that.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Having seen two Naomi Watts movies back to back, I can honestly say that she's always the same. By the same but different token, Sean Penn is always the same level of amazing.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: As Doug Liman himself said in the Q & A, his style is recognizable from one film to the next because he doesn't know how to do anything else. And in the long run, that's the kind of comment you come to regret having said.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It starts out heady and hard to follow, but fear not, before long it all becomes clear, emotional, and engrossing, and you realize that you didn't really need to understand any of the things that were going over your head.

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

A: I'm sure some idiot out there will find a way to say that this movie is a lie. And that's why that person will be an idiot.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/fair-game/1428068/trailers

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You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: There's this family, and everyone in it is unhappy and wants to cheat on and/or leave their spouse. Uplifting. Oh, yeah, and one of them is seeing a quack psychic.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Gemma Jones, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Lucy Punch, Freida Pinto, Antonio Banderas, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Pauline Collins, Ewen Bremner, Christian McKay, Theo James, Fenella Woolgar, Anna Friel, Neil Jackson, Zak Orth

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Woody Allen's movies often start with a voice over or inscription citing a quote that outright states the theme of the movie, so when the first words of this film's voice over stated that Shakespeare said life was a lot of sound and fury leading up to nothing, I started to worry. And as foretold, the film is exactly that.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The whole "everybody's unhappy, selfish, and wants to cheat" theme is almost too depressing to allow the humor to play.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If this film is anything more than Woody Allen's cynical viewpoint with a touch of aging thrown in, then we should all cry, because life sucks and then, if you're lucky, you die. If you're unlucky, you're reborn and have to go through the Hell of it all over again.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The French will think of something. They just love that fool.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Josh Brolin put on weight for the role and Anthony Hopkins lost a bunch. I know some people consider that acting.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Woody Allen's style hasn't evolved since the 70s. In 300 years, you would be able to pick up any of his films and recognize his auteurship by the long shots of two people walking and talking in some urban city. The strangest part is that after all these decades, and in all its simplicity, his style still works.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This story is a good example of why Woody Allen shouldn't try to do one film a year. There are some incredibly clever twists, which lead to nothing, as they are not resolved. Which leaves me with the impression that he knew he hadn't finished the script, but it was time to start shooting if he was gonna make his self-imposed one film a year schedule, so he tagged on the theme of Shakespeare's "A lot of sound and fury amounting to nothing" as an excuse about why he never bothered to resolve the story... Which, I guess, in itself is pretty clever in its own way.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/you-will-meet-a-tall-dark-stranger/38103/trailers

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They Came to Play

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: This documentary follows the 2007 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, who for the most part, play just as well as professionals despite their "real" jobs as doctors, lawyers, and dental assistants.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The biggest star is the music, so let me do some name droppin': Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, Debussy, Schumann... and for you specialists: Alkan, Barber, Ravel, and Liszt

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you enjoy classical piano and stories about regular people with amazing musical talent, this film is for you. If you enjoy Piña Coladas and makin' love in the rain it's not.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Surprisingly, there is an erroneous belch in this film. But that's about as rowdy as it gets.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you put your kid in piano classes thinking he'd have a big career, you may as well start crying now, because you only have to watch this doc once to know that for every amazing piano player, there are about 74 amazinger ones, and that's not counting the prodigies.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It actually won an Audience Award in Fort Lauderdale. Them Floridians must be some highfalutin' audience types!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Culturally, I enjoyed watching how the foreign competitors acted when they lost, in comparison to the American ones. And here is my conclusion: everyone who's not American lets their hurt and disappointment show, while everyone who is American bites his tongues and hopes that no one will notice that he cares. Chew on that, Americans.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There's not a great variety of shots, but they are all well lit, and the 3 angles chosen to shoot the piano competition are the right ones.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The structure is in line with all the other docs of this nature, including Spellbound, Wordplay, and Mad Hot Ballroom. Only in this doc there are really no great stakes to winning or losing because, as one character puts it, "It's all right, I've got a day job!" (which happens to be as doctor). Sadly, because of the low stakes, there's not that much suspense as to who wins or loses.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2SedHd93DQ

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Four Lions

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A group of British Jihadists prepare to blow themselves up, but based on their behavior, they could just as easily be preparing for a Vaudeville act starring Larry, Curly, and Mo.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Riz Ahmed, Kayvan Novak, Nigel Lindsay, Arsher Ali, Adeel Akhtar, Preeya Kalidas, Julia Davis, Benedict Cumberbatch

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The idea behind the idea is pretty genius, once you're in on the joke, but it's really challenging to figure out the joke.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you can get past the language barrier, and the style of the humor, I'm pretty sure this movie is drop dead hilarious. As for me, I understood about every third word, despite it supposedly being in English.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: The saddest thing about it is that many of the moronic things these would-be suicide bombers do and say are inspired by true events. Like the time the jihadist was on a bicycle, on his way to deliver a bomb, and he veered to avoid a pothole running right into a lamppost. Boom! True story.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The Wash Your Mouth Out with Soap Award. Thanks to this movie, prematurely exploding doesn't have to be sexual innuendo anymore!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Nigel Lindsay stands out as being Ali G level funny. Kayvan Novak and Riz Ahmed have the looks to be big stars-- which isn't to say that they weren't funny as all Hell, too. And Julia Davis is just... wow, she has a timing all her own.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The directing is one of the few aspects of the film that is totally amateurish. You rarely know where the characters are in relation to each other or the room, and the look is of embarrassingly low quality. Director Chris Morris comes from a TV background in Great Britain, which is notorious for putting shows on the air that look like they were shot on a 1980s camcorder... but the poor resolution may also have been due to the projection system in the dumpy rent-a-theater I saw it in.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's particularly hard to figure out if these guys are serious about martyring themselves, or if they're just making some kind of a film within a film about what it would be like if they were. That said, some of the dialogue is pretty brilliant. In a nonsensical way.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/four-lions/10024302/trailers

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Hereafter

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man in America (Matt Damon) struggles with his gift for talking to the dead, while a woman in France (Cecile de France) struggles with the aftermath of a near-death experience, while a boy in England (Frankie McLaren/George McLaren) struggles with the sudden loss of his twin brother.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matt Damon, Cecile de France, Jay Mohr, Frankie McLaren, George McLaren, Thierry Neuvic, Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Kind, Lyndsey Marshal, Rebekah Staton, Declan Conlon, Steven R. Schirripa, Jean-Yves Berteloot, Niamh Cusack, George Costigan, Jenifer Lewis, Marthe Keller, Derek Jacobi

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! I was so into it, that I couldn't stop thinking it was a true story. It's not... But I still think the basic principles of it are.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Clint Eastwood wouldn't know humor if it landed on his head and farted ... Okay, I may just be saying that to get a rise out of the idiot commentators who threatened to rape and kill me when I compared Clint Eastwood's performance in Gran Torino to Will Ferrell. I've erased the comments because they were so incredibly graphic and offensive, but I still wanted to take this occasion to say F-U!

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: As I learned from the aforementioned commentators, death is a very sensitive subject, especially when it's threatened on you. But the answer to this question would have been yes anyway. You will cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I kind of hope so, even though this is the kind of "Hollywood" movie that will have all the die hard cineastes up in arms if itwins. It's got a similar vibe to Crash.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The young boys and their heroin-addicted mother (Lyndsey Marshal) are the surprise break out performances. And Cecile De France has a charm that's reminiscent of Meg Ryan in her prime-- with a cute little French accent to boot.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Anyone who shoots a movie that takes place in not one, but both of my favorite cities in the world, is all right with me. Go ahead, take a guess. Hint: they're the two cities I grew up flying back and forth between. If you've been reading my reviews, you should be able to answer this one by now.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Let me tell you why Peter Morgan is a great writer: even as I'm predicting what's going to happen next, I'm not feeling like I'm watching anything formulaic. Try to figure that one out.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/hereafter/1421819/trailers

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127 Hours

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place, by Aron Ralston, about the time he went hiking in Canyon Country and really got caught between a rock and a hard place for 127 hours. Which, if you do the math, like I did, is over 5 days in a canyon.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: James Franco. There are others like Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, Treat Williams, Clemence Poesy, Lizzy Caplan, John Lawrence and Kate Burton... but you will only ever remember James Franco.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is a classic film that will be revered in film communities for generations to come. A one man show, based on a true story, brought to life by dynamic filmmaking that gets you inside the captive's mind and outside the endless valley of rocks at the same time. It is a true accomplishment. But it is not fun to watch. In fact, if I get cancer, it's from the stress caused me by this movie.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: He's a funny guy until he comes face to face with death... and even then he can be pretty funny. But the part I'm thinking about now was made up by screenwriter, Simon Beaufoy.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but feel free to bring your own barf bag.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: People often wonder why sometimes a film gets nominated for Best Picture, but it doesn't get nominated for Best Director. The reason is, to make room for films like this that have no chance at a Best Picture, but can absolutely not be overlooked in the Best Director category. Danny Boyle finds ways to expand what we see beyond one man and one canyon, creating moments of horror, most emotionally reminiscent of Jaws. You won't easily forget the feelings or images this film gives you.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: According to Danny Boyle in the Q & A, James Franco keeps super-stardom at bay by constantly seeming as if he were stoned. Underneath that stoned veneer, though, Franco is constantly working and preparing. So much so that they weren't able to interchange dialogue in editing from later parts of the film with earlier parts of the film, because as the days of thirst and starvation went by, Franco had changed the timbre of his voice so dramatically. Also, he's such a method actor, that the studio made them all guarantee that Franco would stay hydrated in real life, so he wouldn't die, despite his initial desire to deprive himself of water to make things feel more real. I know, that's just stupid.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: This story could not survive without the vision, style, and musical choices of Mr. Danny Boyle. Although he blew me away in Trainspotting, and reminded me of his genius in Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours is clearly the film most reliant on his skill-set, without which it would be as boring as 5 days is long.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: While he's trapped in the canyon, the script really hopes to be about his regrets. Face to face with death, Aron has a chance to look back on all the love he could've given his family and ex-girlfriend, but didn't. Honestly, that wasn't what resonated with me. I was too busy wondering how on Earth they managed to turn this impossibly enclosed story into a feature film.

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

A: When the film ended, not a single person in my packed audience got up. It may have been because of the Q & A with the writer, director, and producer of Slumdog Millionaire (who also performed their roles on this film, not so coincidentally), but it might also have been because, like me, they were incapable of moving.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/127-hours/10020565/trailers

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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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Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: In 2008, a young, up and coming Wall Street trader (Shia LaBeouf) loses his mentor (Frank Langella) and then gets taken for a ride by competing would-be replacements (Michael Douglas, Josh Brolin).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Eli Wallach, Susan Sarandon, Frank Langella, Austin Pendleton, John Bedford Lloyd, Vanessa Ferlito, John Buffalo Mailer

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. I almost loved this movie, but the ending didn't make sense, and then I realized that if I hadn't seen the documentary Inside Job two days before, many parts of the middle wouldn't have made sense either.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Surprisingly, not at all.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Surprisingly, but not at the end.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Carey Mulligan gives us a plethora of Oscar worthy moments.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I was so glad they figured out how to fit in a cameo by Charlie Sheen. The Oliver Stone cameo, on the other hand, jolted my concentration right out of the movie. I don't even think I could tell you what that scene was about. All I know is there was supposed to be a sex joke in it. I didn't laugh. I was too busy getting over the fact that Stone favored himself over the lead character in the shot. Clearly, he finds himself exceedingly attractive.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The slickest thing about this movie is Gordon Gekko's hair. And for as much as Oliver Stone's random psychedelic cutaways added to the look and feel of Natural Born Killers, that's how much they distract from the look and feel of Wall Street. I would even go so far as to say that some of his choices look remarkably amateurish.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This script would have been so much more insightful if it had been written before the crash of 2008. As it is now, characters go around acting like they're so smart for telling us what's going to happen in the future, when their future is already in our past. I could've predicted the crash under those circumstances, too.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/wall-street-money-never-sleeps/38914/trailers

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Inside Job

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: This documentary breaks down the whos, whats, hows, and whys of the economic crash of 2008, which caused the financial crisis we're all in today.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matt Damon does the voice over. I feel the need to tell you this, because you won't notice it if I don't.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! If you, like I, didn't get around to reading the newspapers over the last 30 or 40 years, this will catch you up on everything you need to know about the financial section. Just don't ask me to tell you what's going on in sports.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: You know what's really funny? It wasn't the idiot layman's fault at all for taking loans they couldn't afford to pay back. We were lied to. You know what's funnier? These guys knew exactly what they were doing as they were screwing everybody, and I think they even kind of knew that they were gonna blame it all on us, the people they screwed, when it fell apart. What better way to convince us to pay them back in taxes for the debts they created?

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: You know what's sad? These guys made enough money with their ponzi scheme to buy off anyone who tries to make them pay back the money they stole, as well as anyone who tries to make them pay in any moral or penitentiaral way for their criminal actions. Yes, they own us, and our little government, too.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Biggest Comeback is going to Eliot Spitzer, who we find out here, was one of the few people who was standing up to Wall Street and trying to fight back to prevent this crash. I'm now convinced that they used the morality card to discredit him so they could get rid of him, because he was trying to stop them from ripping us all off. I'm sure I'm right about this one. Plus, according to the prostitute in this movie, they were all going to the same whores, so it wouldn't've been hard for them to figure out how to ruin him, as they passed each other in the bordello halls.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The guys who were involved in these crimes are so bad at seeming innocent when asked a direct question, it's a wonder any of them ever got up the corporate ladder at all.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Even though he uses the same scenic shots over and over, Charles Ferguson's shots are exceedingly scenic.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The structure explaining how we got to this point is clear, organized, and perfectly set up by the opening story of how Iceland had been living in some sort of financial utopia until the Americans convinced them to deregulate. Then, within 10 years, Icelanders went from affluent, civilized, and stable to poverty stricken and unemployed. Thank you, America.

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

A: Greed is only one of seven deadly sins, but of all the sins a person could commit, this is the one that has the power to cause the most widespread damage and suffering to others. Think about it.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/inside-job/10037867/trailers

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You Again

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A woman (Kristen Bell) goes home to her brother's wedding and finds out that he's marrying her high school nemesis (Odette Yustman).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Kristen Bell, Odette Yustman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Jimmy Wolk, Betty White, Victor Garber, Kyle Bornheimer, Billy Unger, Sean Wing, Kristin Chenoweth

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This movie will be passable on video because Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Kristin Chenoweth are fun in it. Other than that it consists of a series of bad impulse decisions made by its characters, which sometimes lead to comedy, and sometimes lead to lame attempts at comedy. Hey, at least they tried...

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Maybe out of peer pressure.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If it could, it would have made me, because I was feeling extra sensitive, as proven by the fact that I nearly cried in the preview for Burlesque, simply from the sound of Christina Aguilera's amazing singing voice.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: This may surprise you, but I'm gonna give Odette Yustman the Breakout Star of the Year Award. Her performance reminded me of early Rachel McAdams, and we've all seen what she's been able to do since then.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Bottom line, Kristen Bell's agent should not have let her do this role. It makes her look less attractive than her buzz claims her to be, and after When in Rome, it's the second in a line of not very good romantic comedies, she's been expected to hold up. Granted, this one is a chef d'oeuvre in comparison.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Andy Fickman's work hearkens back to absolutely nothing you'd remember having watched.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Think Mean Girls: the Sequel, 10, 30, and 50 years later (keeping in mind that sequels are rarely as good as their originals). High school is over, but those old traumatic memories linger on... which is why it's a good policy to be stoned throughout high school. Take my word for it, you won't remember anything that happened!

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

A: Is The Rock having a hard time getting hired these days? This movie has, like, the third single-scene cameo I've seen him play recently.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/you-again/38333/trailers

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Life as We Know It

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man (Josh Duhamel) and woman (Kathrine Heigl), who barely tolerate each other, are thrown together to raise a child, after their best friends die, leaving behind a newborn orphan girl.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas, Alexis Clagett, Brynn Clagett, Brooke Clagett, Hayes MacArthur, Christina Hendricks, Sarah Burns, Melissa McCarthy, Britt Flatmo, Jessica St. Clair, Rob Huebel, Andrew Daly, Bill Brochtrup, Will Sasso, DeRay Davis, Kamail Nanjiani

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you feel inclined to see this movie, you will probably enjoy it, despite its predictability, because Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel are so damn cute together.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are a few good laughs, but Katherine Heigl having poo on her face isn't one of them. That's just gross.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Did you read the plot description? Their best friends die!

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: If I had to pick something in this movie to give an award to, it would definitely have to be the face painting. They are the 3 cutest cats I've ever seen. And in case you forgot this extremely important fact about me: I hate cats.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: In this role, Josh Duhamel is the best, cutest, and most charming he's ever been, and his chemistry with Katherine Heigl may just be worth repeating. He's also very tan for some reason.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The sequence after the best friends die dragged on for me, because after a brief moment of almost crying, I quickly felt emotionally neutral. I know the filmmakers had to get past that death-y part as fast as possible if they were ever going to regain any levity in the premise, but something was missing, as I was never pulled into what they must've been going through in a real way, in my heart.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Even though they supposedly dislike each other, it is clear from the start that this man and woman have a very comfortable and relaxed rapport, so it feels like they're together long before they actually are. This is a problem because once the hatred(ish) is gone between them, the only obstacle they have to overcome is a minor crush that Katherine Heigl's character has on the baby's doctor.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/life-as-we-know-it/38945/trailers

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