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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Personal Effects

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young man (Ashton Kutcher) and an older woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) meet at grievers' support group, and form their own personal little support system outside of the meetings.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathy Bates, Spencer Hudson, Aleks Paunovic, Mary Black

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's a drama, through and through, by which I mean, it doesn't even try to make you feel good. But it's not boring, it is intimate, and the two leads are serious eye-candy.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: This movie is so quiet, chewing popcorn sounds out of place-- so anything to do with actually using your vocal chords you're gonna wanna leave at the door.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: For people who've had someone close to them pass recently, I don't see how it could be avoided. But maybe it's worth it? It could be therapeutic.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: How is it that at the age of 50, Michelle Pfeiffer still gets my vote for Most Beautiful Woman in the World? If there are any youth and beauty potions that actually work, she's holding.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Ashton Kutcher is solid enough, and he even manages to shed a tear during a prolonged shot without cutaways... But then he spoils it a little, when we see him sort of smile with pride-- probably at his own ability to cry on cue. Kathy Bates, in a teeny-tiny role, is a genius. She doesn't have much screen time, but in one scene she laughs so hard that no sound comes out, and before you know it, you realize she's crying. Just seeing her name up on the screen makes you think, "Wow, what a great cast!" Who else is in it becomes almost irrelevant.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The color and lighting make the film appear flat and cold, simulating the feeling of emptiness that follows a loved one's death. On the downside, there are stylistic choices sporadically sprinkled throughout that are inconsistent with the rest of the visuals in the film, and stand out as choices made in the editing room, in places that weren't working.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Rarely in real life have two people run into each other at random, as many times, and in as many places, as the leads in this film do at the beginning of this story. I tried to justify it in my mind by imagining that it was supposed to take place in a small town. But at the Q & A, the writer admitted that it was Pittsburgh. He should've lied.

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

A: The beginning is confusing, because Ashton Kutcher is clearly doing the voiceover for the deaf character.  I imagine there's a poetic reason for this-- like to show how much they have in common, making them like one being-- but it comes off confusing, and it definitely helps to know that even though it sounds like Ashton Kutcher, the sentiments are supposed to be those of the deaf teenager.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://video.google.com/videosearch?client=safari&rls=en&q=personal+effects+trailer&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=f8KwSdW5PJauNdvFjfEE&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title#

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Sunshine Cleaning

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A dark comedy about a couple of struggling sisters (Amy Adams & Emily Blunt) who try to make ends meet by starting up a business that involves cleaning up after people's bloody deaths.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, Jason Spevack, Steve Zahn, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Clifton Collins Jr., Eric Christian Olsen, Paul Dooley, Kevin Chapman, Judith Jones

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. In this time of recession, it's interesting to think about the different odd jobs out there that might be lucrative, but it's depressing to think about how easily your whole plan can get ruined, ruining you in return for your efforts.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It's from the producers of Little Miss Sunshine and the darkness of the humor is similar, but the laughs in this one aren't as frequent or as plentiful.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Some people cry at the sight of blood and death. Personally, I'm just thankful that they never perfected smell-o-vision.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: They really teach you everything you need to know about starting this kind of a business, so I'm thinking it'll probably be the movie most likely to inspire people to get over their fear of death and get a job cleaning up after it.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Amy Adams is her regular delightful self. Emily Blunt is a pleasure that I look forward to watching more of as soon as possible. Alan Arkin is exactly the same as he was in Little Miss Sunshine, but with less funny lines to say. And Steve Zahn is desperately underused in this and the rest of the movies getting made around Hollywood, in particular, the ones he's not cast in.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The only moment in which the directing really draws attention to itself is when we see the mom, and then dissolve from one sister's face to the other, instantly realizing how incredibly well cast it is, as the mom has the exact facial features necessary to link the two actresses faces, and create the illusion that they're really related. Separately, you should know that considering all the blood involved in death, the director has intelligently shot this such that the gore-level isn't too high.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's definitely a story that's never been done before, so there's that. The question remains: is this a story that needed to be done? And that's where I'm on the fence.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/sunshine%20cleaning/trailers

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Phoebe in Wonderland

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A nine-year-old girl (Elle Fanning) tries to cope with the as-yet-undefined mental illness that is making her "different," by acting in her school production of Alice in Wonderland.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Elle Fanning, Felicity Huffman, Patricia Clarkson, Bill Pullman, Campbell Scott, Ian Colletti, Bailee Madison, Peter Gerety

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is a great movie, but as you can tell from the description of the plot, it's not for everybody. And by "everybody", I obviously mean, people who don't want to deal with a movie about a child with a mental illness. But if you're still reading, maybe this one is for you?

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It's very quirky. Proof: Patricia Clarkson is in it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I almost cried from watching that adorable Elle Fanning smile. And that was before the dramatic stuff happened, so you can only imagine.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I did witness, in the movie, one of the first Oscar worthy performances of the year. No surprise, this film has award winners Felicity Huffman and Patricia Clarkson in it... But I'm not talking about them. Patricia Clarkson is superb in this movie, but much too subtle to get noticed by any doler-outers of awards. And I was one of the first people to jump on the Felicity Huffman bandwagon when I saw her brilliant performance in Transamerica... But in this movie, she is seriously upstaged by a 9-year-old. Will somebody please give that child an Oscar?!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Just in case I haven't gushed enough about Elle Fanning yet, I'd like to also mention that she brings a completely different quality to the screen than her older sister, Dakota, and I hope that after this film people will start to think of her for roles because they want her, and not just because Dakota is too old.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Because the movie takes such a deep look into this child's imagination, there are a lot of opportunities for poetic visual story telling, and first time director, Daniel Barnz, does not miss seizing them.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The family scenes have several moments of pure brilliance. But there are also some moments that read false, mostly having to do with the behaviors of the teachers and the principal.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/phoebe%20in%20wonderland/trailers

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O'Horten

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A railroad conductor retires after a life of rigidity and schedule, to finally discover the lighter side of life.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Baard Owe, Espen Skjonberg, Ghita Norby, Henny Moan, Bjorn Floberg, Kai Remlov, Peder Anders Lohne Hamer, Kari Loland

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! The only reason to see this movie is if you want to look at a snowy Norwegian vista, but you can’t afford a ticket to visit it live.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you have a lot of patience and a very peculiar sense of what’s funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Boy, will it not do that.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: If a movie could be a wallflower, this one would define that genre. But to get awards somebody has to notice you exist.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Most of the characters aren’t on screen long enough to do anything wrong. (You have to see the movie to know how incredibly true that is.)

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The lighting, framing and production design are what make this film a piece of art…

Q: How is the story/script?

A: …And the quiet story-less story is what makes this art film another boring piece of-- art film.

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

A: This movie doesn’t come out until May 15th in the US, but I’m posting it now because it’s already out in the rest of the world.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/o'horten/trailers

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The Hurt Locker

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An elite Army bomb squad is in constant peril, as they go around Iraq’s war zone finding and disassembling camouflaged, hand made bombs.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: : Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Christan Camargo, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, Evangeline Lilly, David Morse, Suhail Aldabbach

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! Plot-wise, this movie would’ve worked better as a video game. Mainly because it’s the same scene over and over: We find a bomb, we disarm it. We find a bomb, we disarm it. We find a bomb, we disarm it. At least if it were a game, we’d get to participate at levels of ever-increasing difficulty.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Why anybody would want to see a movie that tries to make you feel like you’re in the middle of the Iraq War, at this particular juncture in our history is beyond me, so if you’re going to this, I probably can’t relate to you enough to tell you if it will make you laugh…

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: …or cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It won several awards at the Venice Film Festival (none of which I’ve ever heard of), and it was up for 2 Spirit Awards for acting. But before you question my harsh judgment of this film, may I remind you that I’ve watched it, you haven’t.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jeremy Renner is the most under-rated actor in Hollywood, and has been for years. Maybe because he tends to pick dark, interesting roles in dark, uninteresting movies.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: As proven by her body of work, Kathryn Bigelow is a director who feels more confident about shooting action scenes than telling a story. This frantically shot film, with only a semblance of a story, continues in the tradition.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Some of the characters are interesting, but you won’t gain much insight beyond the fact that war is Hell… And we already knew that.

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

A: If you still want to see an Iraq war movie after reading this review, rent Traitor. Here’s a link to my review of Traitor: http://moviereviewfaqs.blogspot.com/2008/08/traitor.html

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/search/the%20hurt%20locker/trailers

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Fired Up!

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Two high school football players (Nicholas D'Agasto and Eric Christian Olsen), decide that there will be more doable girls at cheer camp than at football camp, so they make up some lame excuses to cut out on one in favor of the other, and spend their summer spreading diseases. (Okay, so there's no mention of disease in the movie. I'm just prognosticating.)

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Nicholas D'Agasto, Eric Christian Olsen, Sarah Roemer, Molly Sims, David Walton, John Michael Higgins, Philip Baker Hall, Adhir Kalyan, Juliette Goglia, Jake Sandvig, Michael Blaiklock, Margo Harshman, Edie McClurg, AnnaLynne McCord, Danneel Harris

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. We spend long months and sometimes years waiting for a movie of this sort to come out, but ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, that rare commodity, that special gem... It's finally here: a movie so bad that it's good!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Every term you can think of for breast, butt, and [insert any sexual organ here] (I know) is pulled out of the gutter in this all out effort to pretend that women's lib never happened.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Well I cried when more than one man turned me down to see this movie over the weekend, because it was too stupid, and clearly for girls. And I cried again (this time with joy), when I arrived at a Tuesday night screening filled with exclusively men, secretly watching this movie with glee.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Yeah-- right!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Sarah Roemer is a beauty who may not have the chops to pull off comedy. Eric Christian Olsen is clearly 10 years too old to play high school. And Nicholas D'Agasto is just right.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: This movie reminded me of one of those cheesy low budget movies you used to be able to find at 3am on the USA Network. Some might take that as an insult, but seriously, when was the last time you managed to turn one of those off before the clock hit 5am and you realized that you just got caught up in a total schlock-fest and loved every minute of it!

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It starts out at the bottom of the barrel, and painstakingly climbs its way up that barrel wall, until it ends, and you find yourself saying silly things like, "That was sweet."

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/fired-up/33561/trailers

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Taken

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a retired spy's daughter gets kidnapped, he (Liam Neeson) will stop at nothing to get her back before she is sold into prostitution.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Xander Berkeley, Katie Cassidy, Nicholas Giraud, Olivier Rabourdin,

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Though it's billed as a thriller, this film fits more cleanly into the superhero genre. Despite the fact that Liam Neeson doesn't wear a cape or a mask, or have any notable superpowers, his skills at tracking and apprehending bad guys are definitely superhuman. And while the film is entertaining throughout, it is missing the one thing that makes and breaks a good superhero movie: a worthy adversary.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Human trafficking, now there's a funny topic!

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Some saps I know might've gotten teary-eyed during the epilogue. But I can't vouch for them.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's been doing awesome at the box office (on track to cross $100 million), and I think that's more than the studio behind this small January release ever expected.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Liam Neeson is intense and makes you feel his urgency from the beginning to the end. Maggie Grace does a great job of portraying that youthful high school energy, and I probably shouldn't be impressed by this, but she's a very good screamer.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There are a lot of artful shots, but I'm a firm believer that action needs to be shown in wider shots so you can follow what's going on.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Action packed and intense because the stakes are high and the clock is ticking, but this movie could have gotten that elusive green light from me, if only Neeson had been put into a few more impossible-to-get-out-of situations. As it is now, you feel like he's always two steps ahead of everyone, and no one could possibly stop him.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/taken/28725/trailers

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Confessions of a Shopaholic

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young woman obsessed with shopping (Isla Fisher), finds herself unemployed and in credit card debt up to her ears, so she gets a new job working for a magazine that gives advice on saving, and we all hope she will learn something from her own writings.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter, Leslie Bibb, Kristen Scott Thomas, Joan Cusack, John Goodman, John Lithgow, Wendie Malick, Fred Armisen, Julie Hagerty, Robert Stanton

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. More romantic than you'd expect a movie about credit card debt to be, but unless you can relate to spending more than twice what you make every month on designer labels that would make you a good candidate for a New York City mugging, before they work their way to the back of your closet, only to be forgotten forever (or at least until you get the credit card bill), I'm not sure what's so fun about this story.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not enough to attract any male viewers, or any women over seventeen.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It's sad what happens to her, but it's sadder that we live in a society where anyone thinks that a $4000 purse is going to make them a happier or even more popular person. Frugal tip from me to you: Once you take the item out of the beautiful store in which it poses so luxuriously, wearing only an exorbitant price tag, no one is going to know where you bought it, or how much you paid... So you may as well be wearing a hand-me-down.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Not even the most childish and immature of awards organizations is going to remember this story long enough to think of giving it a nomination.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I'm glad that all the more famous actresses turned this role down, so that we could get a chance to see how spunky Isla Fisher (of Wedding Crashers) can be in a starring role. She is sweet and delightful... but unfortunately for her, a poor man's Amy Adams. Which is kind of ironic considering the character's ring tone is "If I were a rich girl," by Gwen Stefani.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: P.J. Hogan is an expert at keeping things upbeat and fun, even when the plot is thin and predictable. He creates a bouncy and colorful vibe with the soundtrack, the cuts, and of course, the colors.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I didn't read the book, but I can't help but wonder if there was something more suspenseful in the writing of it than what was translated to film. Aside from a clever moment (that I won't spoil), where the main character does something smart that comes back to haunt her later, there's not a lot here that doesn't feel like it could only happen in a movie.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/confessions-of-a-shopaholic/33070/trailers

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The International

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An Interpol agent (Clive Owen) and a New York attorney (Naomi Watts) try to expose a corrupt international bank that is selling arms to Third World countries, laundering money, and covertly killing anyone who gets close to uncovering their scheme.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ulrich Thomsen, Brian F. O'Byrne, Michel Voletti, Patrick Baladi, Felix Solis, Jack McGee, Alessandro Fabrizi, Luca Giorgio Barbareschi, James Rebhorn

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The question that becomes unavoidable by about the fifteenth minute of this movie, as everyone around our two leads gets killed for knowing too much, is why hasn't anyone tried to kill our two leads yet? The real answer: because they're the leads of the movie... If you can get past that elephant in the room, and you like political thrillers that force you to pay close attention, lest you miss a reference to a person or minute detail that may later come to matter, it's a well done film.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you're committed to understanding this complicated plot, you'll be too busy putting the pieces together and trying to remember who's who amongst the many international characters that pass through this story before getting assassinated, you won't be relaxed enough to laugh.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: This film will have you so deep into the recesses of your brain, that your mind will become completely separate from your body, thus hindering the free passage of any emotions or feeling to your being. Scientifically speaking.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The action sequence in the Guggenheim Museum is likely to go down in action scene history. If it doesn't get nominated for an MTV Movie Award (which it probably won't because the rest of the movie is too heady for MTV audiences), it will at least be the most talked about part of the film as the years go by, and people forget everything else about it.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Audience, meet Clive Owen's intense side. In this film he unleashes his menacing stare on his fans, by unleashing it on his enemies... and his allies... and an empty lot... and a wall... and anything that moves... or stands still.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There are some beautiful scenery shots of Italy, Istanbul, and France, which I'd like to give credit to not only the Director, but also the Production Designer and the Cinematographer for bringing to their full vibrancy. You get to feel like you're traveling the world for the low price of a movie ticket. The warmth of these beautiful places is well contrasted with the coolness that is used to depict the harsh, modern, interiors of the evil, but luxurious, banking establishment... And Germany.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Not emotionally involving, but on some levels intellectually satisfying, and containing a few interesting turns of phrase, including clever life lessons and philosophies. The ending is more of a downer than I would have liked, especially during a time of financial hopelessness, like the one we're in. My prediction is that this movie would have a more successful box office if they had gone a more uplifting way at the very last moment, which they could've easily done without compromising their point more than a tiny little bit.

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

A: For reasons that I can't quite put my finger on, this 2 hour movie feels like 3. Maybe because every time you think you're getting to the big finale, a whole new plot twist begins to unfold.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-international/29837/trailers

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Coraline

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An animated girl, named Coraline, discovers a secret passageway in her new house that leads to an evil woman, posing as a better version of her mom, in a better version of her life. But when Coraline gets wise to her Other Mom's evil ways, the Other Mom won't let her leave.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgeman, Robert Bailey Jr., Ian McShane

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The colors, animation, and 3D effects are spectacular, but who is the audience for this movie? It's not clever enough for adults, it's too dark for little girls, and it's got too much of a female protagonist for little boys.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you find giant, naked, old lady boobies funny, then sure. I think they can be funny, too... But not in a kids' movie. And by the way, when I say "giant," I guarantee that what you're picturing in your mind right now is only half the size of what they actually drew. And wearing nothing but pasties. I couldn't be more serious.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but the imitation Enya music will put you in a trance and make you very, very sleepy.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Least attractive animated humans ever drawn. Come on, they're animated, there's no excuse for them not to be cute!

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I'm a huge Dakota Fanning fan, but the animators didn't do this character any favors with the facial expressions they created. Coraline is not particularly likeable, she's not nearly as cute as Dakota Fanning, and Dakota is much better at using her eyes to look sweet and innocent when she's saying something bratty-- that's how she gets away with all the bratty things she says in live action movies. Teri Hatcher, as the Other Mom, has the opposite effect. Thanks to the animation, her textured vocal tones are, for once, matched by an expressive physicality. What I'm saying is, her performance had a complete lack of Botox!... I actually thought she was fantastic in this.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Aside from the slow pace at the beginning, the directing is quite obviously the star of this film. The animation is vivacious, and with 3D glasses, it even comes right into your seat.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It seems to have been made into a movie about one draft too soon. The beats of a story are there, but it's devoid of those clever, "Why didn't I think of that?" moments. Once we know what the story is going to be, everything is laid out too easily for the protagonist to succeed.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/coraline/26304/trailers

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He's Just Not That Into You

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Dating sucks, and the long term relationships that it leads to are even worse.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ginnifer Goodwin, Justin Long, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson, Kevin Connolly, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, Busy Philipps, Drew Barrymore, Sasha Alexander, Brooke Bloom, Hedy Burress, Wilson Cruz, Kris Kristofferson

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This movie is cute in exactly the way you'd expect it to be, but it's not particularly romantic. Probably because it attempts to uncover the realities of dating, rather than rehash the usual romantic movie fantasies that we all know and love, which ultimately, are the culprits in creating our misguided dreams of fairy-tale romance. You know, the ones that lead us to being constantly disappointed in real life.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It's got enough laughs to not be a disgrace to its genre, like some of the movies that call themselves romantic-"Comedies."

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It could be a bit of an embarrassment to its genre, after all. It is supposed to be a "Romantic"-comedy.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Film based on a book that's based on an episode of a TV show. The competition was nobody.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Of the entire ensemble, nobody really stands out or stretches outside of their comfort zone. But Ginnifer Goodwin, the least famous of the bunch, is actually the star of the film both in screen time and in her ability to be complex, quirky, and interesting.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Interchangeable, inoffensive and unremarkable. The simple shots and standard coverage will play very well on the small screen. Which is a very good thing, since this film will likely do most of its business on DVD.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Ensemble movies are tough, but the writers do succeed at keeping all the stories compelling and interconnected-- in some cases a little too conveniently. The tone is consistently light-hearted, even when certain people's words (the men's) are harsh. And even some of the saddest moments get laughs. But when you're trying to expose the realities of dating, happy endings are both hard to come by and hard to buy.

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

A: If they were going to have an all white cast, why did they place the movie in Baltimore, Maryland, which is 80% Black? They really could have told this story anywhere... Or cast a few Black people. Take your pick.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/hes-just-not-that-into-you/29704/trailers

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Two Lovers

Q: What’s the movie about?

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

Q: Who’s in the movie?

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

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

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

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

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

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

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

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

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

Q: How is the Acting?

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

Q: How is the Directing?

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

Q: How is the story/script?

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

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

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

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Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A fat, pathetic loser (Kevin James) falls for a girl who's way out of his league, and despite her rejection, puts his life on the line to save her from a robbery in which she is taken hostage. Do girls ever really fall for that old trick?

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Kevin James, Jayma Mays, Keir O'Donnell, Raini Rodriguez, Shirley Knight, Stephen Rannazzisi, Peter Gerety, Bobby Cannavale, Adam Ferrara, Allen Covert, Jamal Mixon, Adhir Kalyan, Erick Avari

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you're the kind of person who laughs at absolutely anything, this movie is for you. If you have standards of any kind, skip it. And separately, if that giant tub of man hadn't done 9 years on TV as the King of Queens, that girl wouldn't give him the time of day, even if he did save her life. She'd say thank you, and ask if they could be friends... Just in case she happened upon an unattractive lonely woman to set him up with.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you find an hour and a half of a guy riding around on a Segway funny, all I can say is... Your mother must be very proud.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I will say this, it is very depressing.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Yes, First Mall Cop Movie to Come Out this Year. (Seth Rogen has one coming soon called Observe and Report, which will undoubtedly be compared to this. Without having seen it, I can guarantee that the Seth Rogen one is better.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The ninja gymnastics was the best thing the acting had going for it. I don't know who decided that ninja skateboarders, bmx riders, and half-pipe-riding roller skaters would make for a compelling band of robbers, but if you overlook the ridiculousness of it all, you will notice that their stunts are still more interesting than the parts of the acting that involve words.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: In the scene in the Rainforest Cafe, where Blart takes down the grand majority of the bad guys, you have no idea how he got them. Why? Because the director doesn't show us those parts. Why doesn't he? My guess is because they had run out of ideas by that point in the script. After all, it's not so easy to convince an audience that an out of shape Mall Cop could take on 6 athletic ninja villains, who are all coming at him at once, and win.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: While it couldn't be more lowbrow if it had been a straight to DVD movie, it did have a few clever moments in which Paul Blart had to "outsmart" (in quotes) the robbers, in order to take them down. Considering how much money it's made, you probably have a friend who's already seen it, so maybe you can just get the Cliff's Notes from him.

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

A: They somehow forgot to mention in the promos that this was a Christmas movie. Maybe because there's no more relevant time to put out a Christmas movie than 2 weeks after Christmas is over. God I hate January movies.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/paul-blart-mall-cop/31338/trailers

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