Friends with Benefits

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man (Justin Timberlake) and woman (Mila Kunis) become best friends after they each get dumped for being "damaged," and to prove the point, they decide to have casual sex on a regular basis, while attempting to maintain their best-friendship.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins, Bryan Greenberg, Nolan Gould, Andy Samberg, Emma Stone, Shaun White, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's a little edgier than No Strings Attached, and they really are friends first this time, but it's hard to enjoy the rom-com process when the entire first half of the film makes you feel like an idiot for enjoying rom-coms.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The laughs are slight but plentiful.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Your eyes might get teary at the end, but then you'll remember how at the beginning these very characters called you a wuss for buying into the romance that movies like this sell. So as thirsty as you may feel, you will suddenly get an uncontrollable urge to not drink the Kool-Aid. (And to those people sitting next to me, I got mascara in my eye.)

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It Smells Like the 70s Just Got a Lot More Puritanical Award... For all the sex they have, most of it is hidden under sheets -- very un-70s. But you will get a naked butt shot of both Justin and Mila during non-sex scenes, so at least people still walk around naked in the privacy of their own movie.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I apologize in advance, but as much as we love him on SNL, on the big screen Justin Timberlake is completely flat. I'm sure he's charming and charismatic in person -- I've heard nothing but good things -- but his charm and charisma just aren't photogenic.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Nothing really stands out in the directing, except for how big and creepy Mila Kunis's eyes are in the first scene. I think they're gorgeous, myself. How about you? Creepy or stunning?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The beginning of the script is so punchy and clever, that you know it was a good read. Unfortunately, when put on its feet, it feels more forced than clever. The second half of the film is more grounded, and is therefore more compelling.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Friends with Benefits Trailer

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Rabbit Hole

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A couple (Nicole Kidman & Aaron Eckhart) grieves the loss of their 4-year-old son.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Miles Teller, Tammy Blanchard, Sandra Oh, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Tenney

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It will put you in their place, and fill you with compassion. It's like my mother always says, "There's nothing worse than the loss of a child." I know, that's not the kind of thing most mothers always say, but that was just her way of trying to convince me not to take drugs.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you read the movie's description and thought to yourself, "That sounds like a film I'd like to see to get a good laugh," then-- it might just take all of my inner strength not to insult your sanity.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: For me the tears weren't inspired by the main characters so much as the people around them. There are so many more parts to this problem than I would have imagined.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Nicole Kidman: believe the hype.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: In other Nicole Kidman news, she has finally got her forehead moving again, so that's a relief. Unfortunately, she's now shooting her lips up with so much collagen, that in some scenes, she almost sounds like she has a speech impediment. This has everything to do with the acting because it took me about half the movie to stop staring at her strange pout, before I was finally able to lose myself in the extraordinary performance she'd been giving all along. I really hate collagen lips. And hers are even making me start to miss the Botox a little bit.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: John Cameron Mitchell has made three films, and I have loved them all. The other two are filled with titillatingly disturbing sex scenes, while this one doesn't include so much as a kiss. It seems like a departure for him, but in fact, it's just more proof that he can tackle any difficult subject matter in a way that makes you want to accept and understand it.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Despite the fact that it's based on a play, and despite the fact that its locations and characters are extremely contained, as a play would be, it somehow doesn't feel like it's just a play on film.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Rabbit Hole Trailer

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Black Swan

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A ballerina (Natalie Portman) gets cast as the lead in Swan Lake and struggles with her inner demons, as her stardom alienates her, makes her paranoid, and generally drives her insane.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Benjamin Millepied, Ksenia Solo, Kristina Anapau, Janet Montgomery, Sebastian Stan, Toby Hemingway

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. As you can tell from my late review, I didn't really want to see this film because it looked creepy. And it is. The members of my audience couldn't wait to get the hell out of the theater when the movie ended. But there's no denying that the filmmaking is at expert level.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Darren Aronofsky lives in a world of depressing self-importance. If there was ever any humor in this script, I'm sure he did away with it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It's not necessary. Just-- if you're considering becoming a ballerina, don't.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: According to all sources, Natalie Portman is going to win an Academy Award this year.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Believe the hype.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: While I'm rarely interested in any of the stories or subject matters that Darren Aronofsky is compelled to put to celluloid, visually, he is one of my absolute favorite directors working today.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: In the vein of Fight Club, the story deliberately confuses reality with the inner workings of a nutsoid person's mind. It is interpretable, though, and while I don't enjoy guessing what the storytellers want me to believe, I did enjoy the way the story of the film perfectly parallels the story of the ballet. Which brings me to my next question: why do the dudes who wrote and directed this know or care so much about this ballet?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Black Swan Trailer

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Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An unflinching look at Joan Rivers' rise to fame, and her desperate attempt to stay there until the day she kicks the bucket.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Larry A. Thompson, Bari Pearlman, Edgar Rosenberg, Kathy Griffin, Don Rickles, Johnny Carson, Ed Sullivan, Donald Trump,

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Joan Rivers clearly did this movie to prove that she's still funny, and guess what? She is.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It's possibly the most genuinely funny movie I've seen this year... but you have to be up for a crass old lady making anal sex jokes.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: She is so damn insecure!.... But as we funny people know, that's where comedy comes from... Pain.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: No, because the Best Old Lady Comeback of the year has already gone to Betty White.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I learned from this movie that Joan Rivers will say yes to any offer.... I also learned that despite the ugly stigma she comes with, she really can act. So, Quentin Tarantino, we're counting on you to bring her back and legitimize her.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: For a documentary, there are a lot of seemingly candid shots with soft, flattering lighting.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The footage is seamlessly edited, flowing between the present day story of Joan trying to stay relevant, and the history of her sordid past. What I can't help but wonder is, where is that old senile, spacey and incoherent Joan who used to ask crazy and embarrassingly irrelevant questions on the red carpet, not 5 years ago? This version of her is not only coherent, she's got enough brains and quick wit for everyone in the room.

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

A: It turns out that Johnny Carson was as much of a douchebag as Jay Leno... so maybe he is the right host to carry on the legacy of the Tonight Show.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/joan-rivers-a-piece-of-work/10024268/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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Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A poor, obese, Black teen (Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe) tries to rise above her history of abuse and illiteracy.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sherri Shepherd, Xosha Roquemore, Chyna Layne, Angelic Zambrana, Stephanie Andujar, Amina Robinson, Nia Fraser

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's hard to watch at times, because it shows some of the ugliest sides of humanity, but there are moments, scenes, and performances that can unequivocally be called brilliant. If you thought Mommy Dearest was harsh, that's only because you haven't seen the version where the mom is broke, on welfare, and incestuous.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Strangely enough, within these grim circumstances, there's a fair amount of humor.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: ...And gasp, and scream, and gag, and sigh.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won the Audience Awards at Sundance, Toronto, and San Sebastian. But I'm also going to go all in and bet on Mo'Nique, for Best Supporting Actress at the big show-- and not just because she has a beautiful name.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The lead actress, Gabby, loses herself in the role of the abused, self-loathing, dreamer, and makes you forget she's never acted before. The rest is pretty spectacular, too. Mo'Nique will make you forget she ever did Phat Girlz, Mariah Carey will make you forget she ever did Glitter, and Lenny Kravitz will make you forget your name-- I mean, because he's so damn fine.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Producer Lee Daniels, makes a convincing turn as Director in what seems to be his first foray. The mood is captured perfectly. The necessary tension fills each uncomfortable scene. And some shots may even stay etched in your memory for the rest of you living days. Or at least until you develop early onset Alzheimer's... We all have it coming.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Not always easy to follow, and never spoon fed, the story unfolds in an unconventional structure, with little gifts and surprises along the way, giving you something to talk about when you leave.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/precious-based-on-a-novel-by-sapphire/31794/trailers

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