The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  Based on the book of the same name, this remake of the movie of the same name that came out two years ago, retells the Swedish story of a defamed journalist and his assistant (Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara) who try to solve the mystery of a teenage millionaire's untimely death in the 1960s-- only this time, it's American-style!

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, Steven Berkoff, Robin Wright, Yorick van Wageningen, Joely Richardson, Geraldine James, Goran Visnjic, Donald Sumpter, Ulf Friberg

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Go!  I was lucky enough to have missed the first version of this movie as well as the book, so I got to enjoy this clever thriller as if for the first time, because it was my first time.  

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  Bizarrely, yes, about three times.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  It's pretty cold, but there is one part that will break your heart.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  Clearly David Fincher and Trent Reznor are trying for a two-peat, and I think they have a chance.

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  It was a big deal when they cast Rooney Mara (best known as the girl who dumps Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network creating the impetus for him to start The Facebook) in the part of Lisbeth Salander.  Well, she lives up to the hype.  Then again, I never saw Noomi Rapace in the part, so for all I know she's just imitating the original performance.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  There's a reason David Fincher is considered the David Fincher of movie directing.  He brings movement and artistry to scenes that would be stagnant in a lesser director's hands.  With him, you can see where the script stops and the vision begins.  And yet he does it all without drawing attention to his own work-- which may be what I respect most about his style.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  A good story is a good story in any language.  The people who read the book thought so.  The people who saw the Swedish movie thought so.  And the people who see this version will think so, too.

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

A:  I'm assuming there will be two more parts, as with the Swedish version, but I'm still waiting to find out the significance of the Dragon Tattoo.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trailer

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Martha Marcy May Marlene

Q: What’s the movie about?

A:  You can take the girl out of the cult, but you can't take the cult out of the girl.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A:  Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes, Hugh Dancy, Maria Dizzia, Louisa Krause, Brady Corbet, Julia Garner, Christopher Abbott

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:  Proceed with Caution.  Interesting subject matter.  Interesting character study. I have no idea what I was supposed to think happened at the end.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A:  It was developed at the Sundance Institute, so I'll give you one guess, and the answer isn't "yes."

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A:  It's more likely to cause the deep pondering of questions like: "Why do people fall for cults?"  "How do they find them?" And, "How are they so easily brainwashed?"... I guess my parents were too loving for me to ever understand the answers to questions like these.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A:  Director Sean Durkin won his category at Sundance, and it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, but lost out to the previous movie I saw, Like Crazy.  Still, even the nomination looks a little bit like self-nepotism.  If you develop a movie, is it really fair to nominate yourself for a prize?

Q: How is the Acting?

A:  Elizabeth Olsen gives a star making performance, but I knew that before I even saw the movie because of all the press and hype that's been surrounding her since last January.  What I didn't know is that she would be so interesting, that I would find myself struggling with how exactly she's related to her sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley.

Q: How is the Directing?

A:  Despite Sundance nominating itself for prizes, Sean Durkin actually does deserve recognition.  He seamlessly shifts between the past at the cult and the present at a Lake House, using color schemes and clever editing that has your brain working just the right amount throughout, as you try to keep up with where each scene is taking place.

Q: How is the story/script?

A:  Mostly, I just wish I understood what I was supposed to take from it.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Martha Marcy May Marlene Trailer

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The Skin I Live In

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) holds a beautiful woman captive in his house, and by the end of the film, we will know why-- Duhn-duhn-duhn!

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet, Bianca Suarez, Barbara Lennie, Roberto Alamo, Susi Sanchez, Eduard Fernandez, Jose Luis Gomez, Fernando Cayo

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A:Proceed with Caution. This one is for the hardest of hard core Almadovar fans only. Right when you thought he couldn't get any crazier, he completely loses his mind.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you have very dark and demented sensibilities.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I feel like crying when I look at Elena Anaya flawless skin, and remember that all youthful skin ever gave me was pimples.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: While we're on the topic of Elena Anaya, let's just give this film the ever-coveted award of Miss Universe. I can't imagine any contestant in the world pretty enough to beat her.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Speaking of beauty, Antonio Banderas at age 51 hasn't lost an ounce of it. Also, it's nice to see him still getting a chance to do a serious role once in a while, since he can really only be taken seriously in Spanish. And after Puss in Boots comes out, our ability to not laugh when he speaks English will only get worse.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Almadovar stays true to his personal style, which combines simplicity with total oddness.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's based on book, and you can't help but wonder if the book pulls off this bizarre non-linear tale of a convoluted insane family any more logically or believably than its surreal film counterpart does.

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

A: Balloons and Steamers! This is our 500th review!!!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Skin I Live In Trailer

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Horrible Bosses

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Three guys (Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis) with horrible bosses (Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, and Colin Farrell) hatch a plan to kill each others bosses.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Donald Sutherland, Lindsay Sloane, Julie Bowen, P.J. Byrne, Wenell Pierce, Ron White, Ioan Gruffudd, Isaiah Mustafa, Bob Newhart

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Of course you have to suspend disbelief during most parts of the beginning, middle, and end, didn't you read what it's about? The murderers are the good guys!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Lots of laughs. And speaking of Charlie Day, I've met more than one guy who has told me that if he could be anyone, he would be Charlie Day. With every Charlie Day movie (and episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) that I see, I understand more and more why they love him, and less and less why they would want to be him.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I feel sad for Colin Farrell's career up until now. Why didn't he ever show us before that he can be really, really funny when ugly?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Shot of a Parking Lot... There are several shots of parking lots in this movie, so I'm pretty sure director, Seth Gordon, was shooting for that award.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I read a snippet of a review that said that Jennifer Aniston was miscast in this role, but I disagree. I think the role of a nymphomaniac rapist is a nice stretch for her, and that anyone who can't accept her range is just too attached to her being Rachel all the time.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Functional and utilitarian, except for the shot of the parking lot, which shows glimpses of genius.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are a lot of good one-liners, the characters feel fresh (except for Jason Bateman and Kevin Spacey, who have played those characters a lot of-- let's just say "every" time), and the story holds together well for a story that could only exist in nowhere.

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

A: Rat Poison: I appreciate the wink to 9 to 5, one of my all time favorite movies.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Horrible Bosses Trailer

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The Lincoln Lawyer

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on a best-selling novel by Michael Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer is a procedural drama with thriller elements about a slick lawyer (Matthew McConaughey), who works out of his Lincoln Town Car, and specializes in getting guilty criminals off the hook. But when you mess with a lot of guilty people, sometimes it can come back to bite you in the ass.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Josh Lucas, John Leguizamo, Michael Pena, Bob Gunton, Frances Fisher, Bryan Cranston, Trace Adkins, laurence Mason, Margarita Levieva, Pell James, Shea Whigham, Katherine Moennig, Michael Pare, Michaela Conlin, Reggie Baker

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! I never watch Law & Order, but I imagine that if I were a fan of it, it would be because it's a lot like this.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are some charming character interactions, but none of the laughs are out loud.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Marisa Tomei and McConaughey play a divorced couple on opposite sides of the law who spend a lot of free time together and seem to enjoy sharing a daughter. So, yeah, it kinda makes me cry that they can't just work it out.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Television Movie Not Playing on Television.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Nobody even tries to stretch beyond their limits, but sometimes that's what makes them just right for the roles they've been assigned.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Shaky hand-held camera, gritty minimalistic lighting, in-camera zooms... everything about the style and feel of this film looks completely independent, except for the presence of Matthew McConaughey.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's not the most original structure ever put to film, but the moral dilemmas are interesting, and trying to figure out the main character's thinking keeps you glued to your seat. That said, this could just as easily be the pilot episode of a TV series. A good one, though.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: The Lincoln Lawyer Trailer

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Jack Goes Boating

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A strange and uninteresting man (Philip Seymour Hoffman) learns to swim and cook to impress an offbeat woman (Amy Ryan), whom he is dating.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Ryan, John Ortiz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Salvatore Inzerillo

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Theater goers who didn't get a chance to see the play live, might enjoy the movie... much in the way that lazy high school students enjoy Cliff's Notes.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Maybe you. Not me.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Playwrights hoping to have their works converted into movies might cry, because this film supports the argument that that's a bad idea.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It will be up for Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards, because that's an easy nomination to give Hoffman to try to convince him to be there, live and in person. Yes, it's all rigged.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: For me, the love of good acting is the only reason to see this movie... so long as you don't mind that the characters being played aren't ones that you'd want to spend any time with.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It's Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut, so you want to cut him a little slack, but like his character, the shots are particularly uninteresting, and the cinematography seems deliberately amateurish.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Trying too hard to be raw and real often makes you look pretentious and phony. Not my opinion, that's just what my fortune cookie says

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/jack%20goes%20boating/trailers

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Get Him to the Greek

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An aspiring music exec (Jonah Hill) has to get a famous rock star (Russell Brand) from London to Los Angeles in three days, without getting side tracked by drugs, sex, or the rock star's insane membrane.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, Elizabeth Moss, Rose Byrne, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Colm Meaney, Aziz Anzari, Lars Ulrich, Lino Facioli, Nick Kroll, Dinah Stabb, T.J. Miller, Carla Gallo

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you liked The Hangover, you'll like this drug induced extended party sequence a little less than that one.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Clearly I see too many movies and I'm jaded because everyone else laughed a lot more than I did. Then again, I hardly laughed in The Hangover either. Shhhh. Don't tell.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: You won't, but according to the dialogue, Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica, can cry for 3 hours straight. On a more observational note, I thought it was clever that they had Russell Brand fall in a pool right before the scene where he's supposedly crying, because once his face is covered in water, it's harder to tell, that as an actor, he can't actually cry. I still noticed.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best product Placement for a New Drug. I wonder how much money the drug dealer's union kicked in for that Jeffery sponsorship?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: My friend Meredith liked Russell Brand more as a bit part in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but I thought the character was still funny (even though I didn't laugh), and it was nice to see a deeper side to the comic relief character. Jonah Hill, for once not standing next to Michael Cera, gets his chance to play the put-upon innocent whom stuff just happens to, and he's unexpectedly good at it. But he really needs to lose some weight before I'll buy that he can get a girlfriend.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Nick Stoller, who never directed anything before Forgetting Sarah Marshall, is clearly getting more comfortable behind the camera, as he can be seen here experimenting more, especially when it comes to creating that drugged out POV.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: A lot of jokes try to make up for a total lack of substance. Despite the supposed urgency of getting him to the Greek, we never feel that the stakes are very high, because in a worst case scenario, Jonah Hill will lose his job, and at a certain point, we're not so sure that he cares about that anymore.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/get-him-to-the-greek/38930/trailers

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The Secret of Their Eyes (el secreto de sus ojos)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After retiring, a lawyer (Ricardo Darin) tries to write a novel about the most harrowing and traumatic case of his life, and in the process opens up all kinds of old wounds and old loves.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ricardo Darin, Soledad Villamil, Pablo Rago, Javier Godino, Guillermo Francella, Jose Luis Gioia, Carla Quevedo

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! This is the kind of well made foreign thriller that some American studio is bound to remake within the next few years, so you can go see the Spanish version, if you're a purist, or you can wait for that inevitable English language remake to come out, if you're a lazy illiterate American.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Well one of the characters is a drunk, so he's got a plethora of wacky ideas about almost everything.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I think it's supposed to make you cry that two lovebirds could go 25 years regretting having lost each other, but I think that most people move on after a maximum of 10. I've been reconnecting with a lot of old friends on Facebook, and let's be honest, after 25 years, you hardly remember anything about a person.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Yes. It will win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, last year. Which makes my prediction here easy, but caused me to lose my Oscar pool last month.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: If only these actors spoke perfect English, I would predict long and strong careers for each of them. But since they live and work in a third world country, I suppose we'll just have to wait until the next time Argentina produces an Academy Award winning film to partake in their talents.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: You don't win an Academy Award for a film that no one has heard of when the directing sucks.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The dialogue is fun, inventive, and full of swear words used as terms of endearment and insults interchangeably. And there are a couple of scenes that will be etched in your mind in that way which usually causes them to go down in classic film history. Although most likely not in this case, since hardly enough people see foreign films in America to build any kind of a common lexicon around them.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-secret-in-their-eyes/1442753/trailers

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The Lovely Bones

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on the bestselling novel by Alice Sebold, a young girl watches over her family and the man who murdered her from a place called ‘the inbetween’, which isn’t quite heaven but will lead her there if she can find a way to let go of her mortal life.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli, Rose McIver, Reece Ritchie, Nikki SooHoo, Carolyn Dando

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you were a fan of the book (I was), little might keep you away from this big-budget adaptation, but you may want to keep your expectations in check. There is a lot that’s flat-out excellent about this movie, but too much of it misses the mark not only as an adaptation but also as a stand-alone film (i.e. as if the book had never existed).

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Hmm, let’s see, it’s about a 14 year old girl who is raped and murdered and the devastation that leaves behind. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say: no laughs.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Probably. Mostly in the first twenty minutes though.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Very possibly, with its best odds in the acting categories.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: If you saw Atonement and had any doubts left at that point that Saoirse Ronan was a budding star, then The Lovely Bones will remove them. She is the real deal and even starring opposite fellow Oscar nominees (and winners) like Rachel Weisz, Wahlberg and Sarandon, she still stands out. Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci (both perfectly cast) make lasting impressions mainly due to the fact they have more screen time and their characters are better written than the adult women. Rose McIver as Susie’s little sister Lindsey, is also excellent in a supporting role that gains in importance as the story unfolds.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I’m not entirely convinced Peter Jackson was the best director for this material. For every amazing visual he puts on screen (and there are quite a few of them, both overblown and subtle), there are a plethora of others that make little sense in Susie’s ‘inbetween’ world. I’m sure he’s trying to keep his stable of New Zealand CGI-wizards busy between massive-spectacle films, but this story never needed these kinds of visual effects to make what at heart is an emotional story about a suburban family in 1973, work. When his visuals do resonate however, they are a sight to behold and not only look stunning, but also serve the emotion of the story (or scene) in spectacular ways.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It’s hard to understand some of the choices that were made in this adaptation, which shifts the weight of the main themes of the book from its emotional gut-punch into a more suspense-style thriller (and also telescopes the story by years). The first twenty minutes are near perfection in all aspects of filmmaking (and in rewarding fans of the book), but the script then goes a bit awry without fully going off the rails. There is still plenty of emotion in Susie Salmon’s journey, but it’s blunted by a disjointed structure that tries to shift the tone into something more akin to Hitchcock by way of Ghost. So much of this movie works and still delivers on a satisfying ending, but too much is just a bit off. Which is a shame, because it should have been a homerun when starting with such a great book and with this kind of talent both behind and in front of the cameras. I’m still convinced a brilliant movie could be made from Alice Sebold’s work; this version just isn’t it.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-lovely-bones/30065/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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Watchmen

(Guest Review by Jack)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Adapted from Alan Moore's landmark comic book series, Watchmen is a story set in an alternative 1985, where the world is ticking closer to the brink of nuclear war, and a plot to eliminate a band of ex-crime fighters is instigated, but why? and by whom? It is up to two of those ex-crime fighters to investigate the plot, before the plot exterminates them.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Malin Ackerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! For all but the die hard fans of the graphic novel, this movie will not live up to expectations or the hype. It is not your typical Superhero movie, in that (much like in the novel) there aren't that many fight scenes or action scenes. Just a lot of standing around and talking– which is very heady when you're trying to enjoy your popcorn. Plus, if you have not read the book, you will most likely be lost a good portion of the time, since some of the key back story is left out. Concurrently, if you did read the book, and didn’t like it, you won’t feel any differently about this incredibly faithful movie adaptation.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not intentionally. I did hear a few laughs during the screening– but they had that air of confusion, as if to say, "What is going on?" Having read the graphic novel, I could tell from what they weren't getting, that those laughing had not.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: At 2hrs40, my eyes were filled with tears from the large Coke I had to drink to get through it– I was running for relief when it ended.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Maybe Visual Effects, if somebody wants to throw it a bone.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Malin Ackerman, who plays Silk Spectre 2 (one of the major characters), falls flat most of the time. But the rest of the cast does well, and the standout performance by Jackie Earle Haley, as Rorschach, made me want to see a movie based solely on him.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It is extremely faithful to the graphic novel– even framing most shots to replicate the novel’s visuals. While not requiring the imagination that made Lord of the Rings transcend its source material, Zach Snyder does a good job with this movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The problem with the movie is its source material, which holds this movie back from mass appeal. The Watchmen is a challenging deconstruction of the Superhero. This is something that works on the page in a way that can't possibly be translated to the screen. On top of that, some scenes come off campy, using word for word dialogue taken from the novel-- this is especially true of the final confrontation.

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

A: I don't know why Warner Brothers thought that Joe Blow in Idaho would like this story. And it begs the question whether the guy at Fox who thought the script was unreadable and passed on the project had ever read the graphic novel. My guess is that he only read the coverage.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/watchmen/26998/trailers
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Sin Nombre

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A gang member trying to escape his fate and a young Honduran woman trying to reconnect with her estranged family in the United States, cross paths on the danger-ridden Central American illegal immigrant train to the border.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Paulina Gaitan, Edgar Flores, Kristian Ferrer, Diana Garcia, Tenoch Huerta, Luis Fernando Pena, Hector Jimenez

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! You will empathize with the joys and perils of being in a murderous gang, and then gasp your way closer and closer to the edge of your seat, as you watch to find out whether or not these two lost souls will be able to arrive alive to destination hope.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I laughed 3 times during one of the gang shootouts. But I was the only one laughing. It was embarrassing.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It will definitely leave you feeling like you need to take a deep breath.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won for Directing and Cinematography at Sundance, and was Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Not too shabby for a first feature film.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Save one or two cast members, this group of unknowns has little to no acting experience prior to this project. You really can't tell.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It is easy to see why this director's short film would have won the Student Academy Award. Remember the name Cary Fukunaga, because you're likely to see it on the big screen for years to come.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: After four years of research, riding the Central American train and interviewing Central American gang members and immigrants, it's no wonder there is fresh new insight into both the life of a gang member and the hazards of illegal immigration.

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

A: This is my first green light of 2009! I'm so happy...

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/sin-nombre/36316/trailers

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Wendy and Lucy

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: While some might describe this as the sobering account of a young woman’s life, as misfortune and bad luck conspire to leave her destitute, I would describe it as the Michelle Williams-loses-her-dog movie.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Michelle Williams, Will Patton, Lucy the Dog, Wally Dalton, Larry Fessenden, Ayanna Berkshire, Will Oldham

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! This is sort of an ‘anti-movie.’ It has no plot to speak of, no character arcs, and no real conclusion. It truly is 80 minutes of watching Wendy (Michelle Williams) look for her lost dog (Lucy) in some depressing Oregon blue-collar town where pretty much nothing else happens. I’d be willing to bet that Michelle Williams’ home movies have more dramatic thrust than this collection of images and sounds. And higher production values as well.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: No. But after the movie was over, we laughed a lot at our friend Brian’s impersonation of Wendy looking for her dog. He just put his hoodie up and wandered around calling out: “Lucy!... Lew!... Lucy!” I counted even a few strangers laughing. They, too, had clearly seen the film.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Yes. It will make you weep for the current state of indie films. Because when boring, pointless pieces of of film like this are not only getting made, but also getting released, it kind of justifies why most of the independent film making companies closed up shop last year. Independent film is dying. But if this is what passes for independent film, maybe it deserves to die.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It has already won Best Film and Best Actress (Michelle Williams) from the Toronto Film Critics Association. It’s nominated in the same categories for the Spirit Awards. After seeing it, I can honestly say that Canadians have no taste and filmmakers should be insulted if they get nominated for a Spirit Award.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Thanks to filmmaker Todd Haynes, a mutual friend of the director and Michelle Williams, all parties were able to convince her to sign on-- proving once again that old Hollywood adage: it’s not what you know, but who you know. I can’t think of a single good reason why Williams would do this project, unless she was craving an award from the Toronto Film Critics and had a psychic premonition that they’d vote her the winner. I mean, she’s fine, but like I’ve said before, in my review of Deception, she deserves much better parts. Anyway, to talk about acting in an anti-movie is like answering a question about editing while watching America’s Funniest Home Videos: oxymoronic.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: This anti-movie at least adheres to a few well-worn rules when making a low-budget indie that’s meant to be depressing: open on an overcast day as a train moves through a rail yard. Check. Now move to a meandering overly-long tracking shot of the star in which you can’t really make out that it’s the star. Check. Cover that with someone humming a pointless tune and we’ll go ahead and pretend that’s the score. Check. I’m beginning to wonder if there was even a director behind the camera because it all seemed like a collection of security-camera images that caught Michelle Williams roaming around Oregon looking for her dog in real time for 80 minutes. Are you still reading this?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There is none. There were opportunities for dramatic story-telling set forth, but each of them was promptly avoided like the plague. Wendy could have gone off the rails and gotten angry, or confronted someone a number of times, but the writers simply defused each dramatic opportunity with a character who doesn't stand up for herself. This anti-movie is supposed to be a mediation on our times and economy. How responsible are we for each other? What is the American Dream in 2009, and does it still really exist? Those are truly interesting themes. None of which have any resonance in Wendy and Lucy. I did feel for Wendy – probably because of Michele Williams. But the character is pretty much an idiot.

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

A: Did I mention that this is not a movie?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzMP6jQ5Txc

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Gran Torino

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After his wife dies, Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is totally alone, with only his memories of the Korean War to keep him warm. Now he sits on his porch, disdainfully watching his all-White neighborhood get taken over by Asians, until one day, he intervenes in one of his neighbor's conflicts and ends up getting caught up in their personal lives.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Christopher Carley, Doua Moua, Geraldine Hughes, Brian Haley, John Carroll Lynch, Brian Howe, Chee Thao

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. At first the film is slow and boring, and you can take a nap. Then it gets really funny, in an inside-humor kind of way, and then it gets really dramatic, building to a moment which is not nearly as important as they hoped it would be. And that's followed up with an ending that's predictable. I enjoyed it. Mostly for the funny parts.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If Clint Eastwood tried to have Will Ferrell's career, this is what it would look like.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: The dog has something of a tear-jerking moment. But in order to be susceptible to it, you have to be the kind of person who can't handle puppy-dog eyes.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's Clint Eastwood, so it's guaranteed to be nominated.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Clint Eastwood huffs and he puffs and he over-acts the house down. Everyone else in the film is much worse.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It reminded me of the work of a really promising first time independent filmmaker. Not necessarily a compliment to a man who's directed 29 films and won 2 Oscars for it. Warner Brothers might consider averting its eyes in shame, too.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Tonally it's all over the place. Thematically, it feels like a vanity project in which Clint Eastwood can revisit his Dirty Harry character in a "Where Are They Now" kind of way. And the story itself? It's there...

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/gran-torino/33336/trailers

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Boy A

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young man (Andrew Garfield) gets released from jail after doing time for a murder he (may have) committed as a boy. Now he has to rebuild his life under an assumed identity.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Andrew Garfield, Peter Mullan, Alfie Owen, Taylor Doherty, Katie Lyons, Shaun Evans, James Young, Anthony Lewis, Jeremy Swift

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! If you manage to get past the low-class British dialect which makes the dialogue nearly incomprehensible to the non-Manchester-born viewer, you will be left with a plot that is depressing and not particularly well justified in its unfolding.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you're Satan. And it's not a happy laugh either. It's more of an evil victorious laugh. The kind you let slip when you've just won another soul from the Heavens.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: That would've been a good thing for the filmmaker to aim for... Maybe I'll drop that one in the suggestion box.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's just slow and boring enough to be called a masterpiece by all those edumacated critics, who go around giving awards for pretension, which they are clearly confusing with art.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Most of the supporting cast was decent. But I never bought that Andrew Garfield was British... And to be perfectly honest, I think I'm still holding a grudge against him for starring in Lions for Lambs.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Dark, Gritty, possibly the least offensive aspect of the movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are a few good scenes and a few good moments, but the story is a downer with no lessons learned, no inspiration given, and not even a clever plot twist that makes it feel okay when the audience is left with a completely hopeless ending.

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Tell No One

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Eight years after his wife was brutally murdered, Dr. Alexandre Beck (Francois Cluzet) is still being accused of having killed and beaten her, but he has reason to believe that she is still alive.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Francois Cluzet, Marie-Josee Croze, Andre Dussollier, Kristin Scott Thomas, Marina Hands, Francois Berleand, Nathalie Baye, Jean Rochefort, Gilles Lellouche, Philippe Lefebvre, Florence Thomassin, Olivier Marchal, Guillaume Canet

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! This French thriller has enough intrigue, twists and turns to make American filmmakers jealous.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only briefly, when Dr. Beck discovers thug life.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it could force you to use your rusty old brain and have to think a little bit.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It was nominated for 9 Cesar Awards, which is the French equivalent of the Oscars. It won four.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The director, Guillaume Canet, started out as an actor, which is evidenced by the distinctively defined characters and the consistently convincing performances.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: At times the hand-held camera work in the chase scenes can be a little heavy handed, but those moments are balanced out by the simple beauty and raw emotion in the look of the rest of the film.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: You're gonna need to pay attention. There's a lot going on, and it's all interconnected. You can try to figure it out, but you won't.

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