Get Low

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A grumpy recluse (Robert Duvall) pays a funeral home operator (Bill Murray) to plan a funeral for him while he's still alive, so that he can attend it and hear what people have to say about him.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Lucas Black, Sissy Spacek, Gerald McRaney, Bill Cobbs, Scott Cooper, Lori Beth Edgeman

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. People will want to argue that this is one of those original, special gems that you discover every so often and can't wait to tell your friends about... until they get to the funeral scene, which is disappointingly anti-climactic after all the great build up and anticipation.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The humor is so smart and so serious and delivered in perfect dead-pan by Bill Murray.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It's all about death and funerals, so obviou-- No.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Contrary to my review, I'm pretty sure it'll get nominated at the Spirit Awards for Best Original Screenplay. Those guys love to try to contradict me, so at least this time I'll be able to say "I told ya' so!"

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Bill Murray is quintessential in this one, but in quintessential Bill Murray style, he totally flaked out on the Q & A. Which is really too bad for him, because if he'd been there, he might've gotten a standing ovation like Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek did. Sure, their acting was good, but the standing O might also just be because when 'Boo' Radley walks into a room with Carrie, it becomes pretty impossible not to stand up.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The main thing that impressed me about Aaron Schneider's directing was how well he captured the Coen Brothers' comic timing and sensibility. Not easy to do.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: So much is good about this script that it pains me to say: when your whole movie is about a guy throwing his own funeral so that he can hear all the nasty rumors that have been going around about him for the last 40 years, you have to have a least one person at the funeral stand up and tell us a nasty rumor!!!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/get-low/36568/trailers

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Ramona and Beezus

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on the Beverly Cleary novels, Ramona is just about the most independent, unorthodox, original 9-year-old there is. Unfortunately, when a girl can't fit in, even when she tries to, it can make for some pretty embarrassing elementary school moments.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Joey King, Selena Gomez, John Corbett, Bridget Moynahan, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Duhamel, Jason Spevack, Sierra McCormick, Sandra Oh, Hutch Dano

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. At first it's unclear what the story is about, but it maintains your interest because the main character is terrifical!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The comedy is soft but delishus.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: The last 15 minutes will have you welling up over and over again for one reason and then the next... Hell, no! I didn't allow no tears to actually drop!

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most Ineptly Titled film of the year. Why is it called Ramona and Beezus when it should simply be called This Movie is About Ramona, and Only Ramona, So Help Me God?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: What a star! Joey King as Ramona is extraordinary. Spelled E-X-T-R-A-O-R-D-I-N-A-R-Y. See I can use Ms. Meacham's words in a sentence, too... Okay, I admit, I looked it up on dictionary.com.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There are some partially animated imagination sequences that bring the directing to a slightly higher level than one might expect from a movie targeting 8-year-old girls.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I know I read some Ramona books, though I'm pretty certain that I didn't read this one, and I'm even more certain that it's been almost 30 years since the last time I picked one up (yes, I learned to read 5 years before I was conceived), so I can't say if it's true to the book or not. What I can say is that the last 20 minutes are good enough to make up for the lack of direction in the first hour and a half.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/ramona-and-beezus/31195/trailers

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The Kids Are All Right

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A lesbian couple (Julianne Moore and Annette Bening) has their life turned upside-down when their teenage son and daughter (Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wasikowska) track down their sperm-donor dad (Mark Ruffalo).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta, Kunal Sharma, Eddie Hassell, Zosia Mamet, Joaquin Garrido

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This deliberately independent film is not spoon fed, nor does it get completely resolved and tied up in a happy little bow for you. It's more interested in showing the trials and tribulations of life as it really is... first difficult, and then disappointing.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There is a smattering of awkward moments that will cause individualized chuckling.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If only people could visualize the repercussions of following their momentary sexual whims, before the aftermath has ruined their life, there would be a lot less heartbreak in the world.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Mark Ruffalo's character is so hard to pin down, that you can't help but admire the fact that no other actor could have portrayed this particular combination of aloofness and unconditional love. At the same time, it's one of those performances that's almost too good to get noticed as having been acting.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: With a cast like this you go in expecting the best, and come out with your expectations exceeded.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Lisa Cholodenko films Los Angeles with so much love that she makes it look like any nice normal American suburb, where even the most God-fearing of average Americans would want to live.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: What's really heart-warming about the execution of this story is that even though it revolves around a family with two matriarchs, the marriage is portrayed in a way that is filled with the same love, familiarity, and contempt that any male-female husband and wife relationship would have. Before long, you forget that you are watching a family of four with two moms, and you realize that you are simply watching a movie about a family that is about as together as they come-- in other words, hardly at all.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-kids-are-all-right/10025812/trailers

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Inception

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A dream team of dream invaders mount a complex scheme to implant a specific thought into the mind of a corporate tycoon's son, so that they may change the financial balance of the world... Kind of like what wall street did to George W. Bush before they screwed us all.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, Pete Postlethwaite, Lukas Haas, Tai-Li Lee

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! When the movie ended and the screen cut to black, the entire audience let out the breath they had been holding for the last 2 1/2 hours.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Audiences have been clamoring for an original movie all summer blockbuster season long, so it's funny that they will leave this one clamoring for a sequel...

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: ...and it's also kind of sad.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: All of them.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: If you spend any time thinking about what the characters in this film are doing, you may realize that they are actually not good people. But the loyalty they have to each other and the common goal to help one man get home to his family, almost makes you forget that they are essentially thieves, breaking and entering into people's minds. And also, the acting is so good that you really want to like these people.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Christopher Nolan cements his reputation as the most respected director of his generation, by creating the most beautiful special effects since Avatar.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This heady story requires attention and thinking, but hey, I'm pretty sure it's the only studio movie this decade that doesn't talk down to its audience, so I'm not going to complain. Plus, I feel smarter for having seen it.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/inception/36931/trailers

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Despicable Me

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An evil villain (Steve Carell) attempts to steal the Moon, in a last ditch effort to prove that he's the best bad guy in the world, but his plans start to falter when 3 orphan girls come into his life.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Miranda Cosgrove, Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett, Dana Gaier, Elsie Fisher, Jack McBrayer, Jemaine Clement, Danny McBride, Mindy Kaling, and the Minions

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Whatever the story departments in the animation world are doing, live action development people should figure it out and start imitating it as soon as possible. In some of these animated movies, it almost feels like someone cared about the user experience... and these are the movies that are supposed to be for little kids, you know, those small-sized people with completely undeveloped minds.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Most of the cleverness is in the details, so pay very close attention.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It goes so far as to make you say, "Awwww." Out loud.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: As enthusiastic as I may seem about this movie, it's not that good.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I was impressed with Steve Carell's accent-- not because I could place what country it was supposed to be from, but because it totally made you forget that it was Steve Carell. Same goes for Russell Brand, who really sounds old. But it goes without saying that the best voice comes from Elsie Fisher, a little girl who can't be more than 8-years-old, and should be able to parlay this into being the next Dakota Fanning.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Pretty standard.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The writers do a nice job of creating an antihero with a backstory that makes you sympathize with him. They quickly establish how mean he is, then suddenly show you why, then the plot sets in motion, and emotionally, you understand what a guy like this is getting out of hanging around a bunch of little girls. The girls are also established in such a way that you buy that they would be accepting of this man's strange home and lifestyle.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/despicable-me/36148/trailers

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Knight and Day

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A spy (Tom Cruise) uses a random girl (Cameron Diaz) as a mule and ends up having to protect her from corrupt FBI agents and drug lords who are all after the device he is trying to keep safe... I think.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Jordi Molla, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, Falk Hentschel, Marc Blucas, Lennie Loftin, Maggie Grace, Celia Weston

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. For a film as seemingly run of the mill as this, I was surprised by how convoluted and confusing the plot was. I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed it despite my constant state of confusion.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The romantic parts probably will. I'm not sure they're supposed to. But when you laugh at the kissing scenes, at least it gives new meaning to the term romantic-comedy.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Isn't it ironic that when one person dies in a film, it can be so sad, and yet when one person dies per minute, we don't feel anything at all?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I'm pretty sure I already gave out the Best Mustache Award this year, so it's only fitting that there should be an award for Worst Mustache. Was Paul Dano good in this film? I have no idea, because every time he was on screen, all I could think about was what the make-up person could possibly have been thinking by shaving off the right middle of his mustache. No character, no matter how weird would wear their mustache like that, unless they were kidnapped mid-shave. Hey, maybe that was in the original cut of the movie? If anyone gets the DVD and watches the extras, let me know... Or don't. I don't really care all that much.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Tom Cruise is still a good actor, but he's totally over. His persona has gotten too big and too ugly to leave room on his face for any character he's supposed to be inhabiting. But don't take my word for it, ask any one of the 7 people I asked to go see this movie with me, all of which turned me down due to either his presence in the movie or his evil smile's.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Did you know that when good guys run into a stream of bullets coming from all sides they always come out unscathed? Neither did I, but it turns out that the same is true of driving head-on into traffic going the wrong way down a one way tunnel for five minutes or more. I know I'm not supposed to care, but when the action gets too preposterous, I start to miss the final scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I found myself thinking much too hard to understand why he was involved with her in the first place. At the beginning of the movie, the choice to bump into her seems very deliberate and specific, as if he had been looking for her and then she showed up, but as the film goes on, you come to realize that in order for it all to make sense, she had to have been picked completely at random, in which case his acting was just a red herring.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/knight-and-day/38099/trailers

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The Nature of Existence

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: This documentary seeks out religious leaders and regular people from around the world to get to the bottom of the meaning of life.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Hindus, Jews, Buddhists, Toaists, Islamics, Evangelists, Christian wrestlers, and comedians.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. A lot of people say a lot of interesting things about God, Love, Happiness, Morality, Afterlife and the general nature of existence, but it all comes at you so fast and furious that you don't get a chance to digest any of it, and before long, you have a thinking man's headache.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: A lot. Whether people are passionate about Atheism, yogic nirvana, or any belief in between, their mere conviction makes you wanna laugh at them.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're gay you might be moved to tears of joy, because not only do the filmmakers track down a gay and lesbian Christian church in (of all places) Texas, but a Native American explains that in the olden days of the tribes, the Chiefs were chosen because they were born special, with both a male and a female spirit inside of them. He goes on to explain that basically the chosen ones were gay.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Title Most Likely to Make People Want to Know the Answer... But come on people, if that question could be answered, do you really think that the guy who made the documentary Trekkies is gonna be the one to do it?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The director inserts himself into the film a-la Michael Moore, and while he's not nearly as clever or witty as Moore, his presence and oftentimes catty commentary keep these deep topics light and hilarious.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It's so cutty as it goes from talking head sound bite to talking head sound bite that you don't have any time for pondering. By the time you decide if a person's comment was important or ignorant, you have already missed the opposition's retort. And by the last half hour, you're dying for a breather.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: With so much great footage out of people in America, China, India, Italy, and Israel, they really should've made this into a 5 part miniseries on PBS, covering only one area of the world in each episode. At least then all this mumbo-jumbo would have been absorbable... Okay, I admit, I just wanted to use the term "mumbo-jumbo."

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ2TMdLZ2uo

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Centurion

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: During Roman times, a few honorable soldiers swashbuckled for their lives in a world of corrupt allies and enemies.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, Olga Kurylenko, Noel Clarke, David Morrissey, JJ Feild, Riz Ahmed, Ulrich Thomsen, Imogen Poots, Axelle Carolyn, Dave Legeno,

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. With battle scenes that are reminiscent of Inglorious Basterds but a much less emotionally compelling plot, this movie is made for guys who like bloody sword fights and the thrill of combat movies that take place during an age when men wore dresses.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are very few jokes, but they are as funny as they are rare.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it will probably make you close your eyes and turn away from the screen a few times, as you scrunch up your face like you just bit into a lemon.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I'd consider it for Most Gratifying Murder of a Small to Medium-sized Child.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The most standout thing about the acting is the incredible beauty of both Olga Kurylenko and Imogen Poots. And also finding out that (according to this movie) in Ancient Roman times, women apparently fought in battles, and men apparently had no issues with killing them brutally if need be.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: With a few well placed sweeping crane shots, Neil Marshall makes a small movie, with very few differing locations seem big in scale, but the battle scenes tend to be shot too close up, so that even during climactic moments, it's hard to tell who killed who and how.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It relies mostly on voice over to move the story along between chase scenes and battles, but the most annoying part is actually the ending, which humiliates itself by desperately and blatantly begging for a sequel, instead of neatly wrapping everything up.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

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

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The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Bella (Kristen Stewart) still wants to be a vampire. Edward (Robert Pattison) still wants her to marry him. Jacob (Taylor Lautner) still loves her. And Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) is coming to eat her.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Xavier Samuel, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Bryce Dallas Howard, Dakota Fanning, Anna Kendrick, Michael Welch, Christian Serratos, Justin Chon, Kiowa Gordon, Tyson Houseman, Bronson Pelletier, Alex Meraz, Julia Jones, Tinsel Korey, Chaske Spencer, Gil Birmingham, Alex Rice, BooBoo Stewart, Daniel Cudmore, Cameron Bright, Charlie Bewley, Catalina Sandino, Moreno

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! If you overlook the fact that Bella is basically choosing between bestiality and necrophilia, it's a fun, sexually-charged, tantric ride.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: The threesome scene is pretty funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: For sure. But it's the kind of crying that only happens during moments of insane fandom, when you realize that your idol is right there in front of you in 70mm. Think Beatlemania with Twi-hards.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: There is something about the way Bella and Edward kiss that makes you wish it were you. I don't know how they do it, but they really do deserve a nomination for Best Kiss. (That's an actual award, Mom.)

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The acting is decent enough in this one, but the characters are really getting annoying. Jacob is a douche for continually trying to convince Bella to love him, right in front of her boyfriend. He comes off delusional and out of his league. Edward is a sap, all he can talk about is marriage and saving sex until after that's done. His love is so unconditional, you start to really wonder what it's based on. And Bella comes off like a whiny brat, always saying, "I don't want you guys putting your lives in danger over little ol' me... But don't let me die, okay?"

Q: How is the Directing?

A: More than one scene was blurry, and the filmic style has definitely gotten less gritty since Catherine Hardwicke left the picture. On the flip side, the latest director, David Slade, seems to have brought out a slightly deeper level of acting from his stars. Rumor has it, Billy Burke (the dad) and Peter Facinelli (the vampire dad) ended up having to take over the acting-coaching responsibilities before this director came along.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It's a nice touch that this episode gives us some of their origin stories. We learn about Rosalie's background and how she became a vampire and what era she lived in, as well as Jasper's history, era, and conversion days. Most interesting perhaps, though, is the brief history of the Indian tribe's bloody past, and how they came to hate vampires. In other scripting news, I still haven't figured out why Edward and Jacob are fighting over Bella. What's she got? I mean, aside from being a good kisser.

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

A: Rob Pattinson gets a pretty bad rap for constantly complaining about all the fanatical girls screaming in his presence. Well, I went to the Premiere last night, and I have to say, the insanity of the energy (and screaming and fainting) that occurred when he walked in, gave me a lot more sympathy for what he's dealing with on a daily basis. He could hardly get to his seat, despite more security than the Commander in Chief. His fans are not only crazy, they're animalistic. Then again, their presence in the screening added a wonderful je ne sais quoi to the whole viewing experience. Especially during the sexy scenes, when they literally freaked out screaming at the screen, as if Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart weren't in the room, too. It must have been very uncomfortable for them.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-twilight-saga-eclipse/36837/trailers

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The Karate Kid

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When an American boy (Jaden Smith) moves to China with his mother (Taraji P. Henson), he is bullied by the local boys, so he learns Kung Fu from a broken master (Jackie Chan).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, Wenwen Han, Zhenwei Wang, Rongguang Yu, Shijia Lu

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! I'm sorry Ralph Macchio, but there is truly no longer any reason to ever watch the original again. Though it's the same story, everything in this new one is of a higher quality.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Not too much, but Jackie Chan's expression when he sees what Jaden Smith's character decides to do for his final fight makes up for all the laughter that was lacking throughout the rest.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There's a scene that's supposed to, but that was the one part where I found myself thinking about other things, like what I'm gonna eat for lunch tomorrow. Maybe I should've gone to the grocery store instead of the movies.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Best Fight on MTV. You know how bad guys in movies often say things like, "I'm gonna beat you up with that guy's fist!"?... Well, in this movie, Jackie Chan actually does that.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jaden Smith is such a ham! He regularly mugs too much for the camera, but you forgive him because he's just so adorable when he does.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Going to China for this remake was such a good idea. The beautiful scenery and landmarks and culture make you wonder how there ever could have been a version of this film that took place in America. We are taken to the Great Wall and the Forbidden City and the Dragon Fountain, where we get to see the mountainous scenery on the way. And I learned a few new ways to use a crane shot in the process.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There is not one line of corny dialogue in this remake. Despite repeating the beats of the original, everything feels real, natural and surprisingly new. I was also impressed with how well defined Jaden Smith's character is. He is goofy and cocky around people he likes, but shy and scared around people he doesn't. His blind courage is well set up in the first fight (or should I say "beating"), so it's believable that he would make bold choices by the end.

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

A: As a consolation to Ralph Macchio, we still love The Outsiders and My Cousin Vinnie.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-karate-kid/35823/trailers

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Toy Story 3

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When the boy who owns the Toy Story toys goes off to college, he has to pack up his toys, which mistakenly get sent to the trash instead of the attic. Their escape from the trash bag leads them on an adventure that only these particular talking toys could ever get themselves into.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Jodi Benson, Emily Hahn, Laurie Metcalf, Blake Clark, Teddy Newton, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Garlin, Bonnie Hunt

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! If you've been following my reviews, you know I hate that Pixar continually gets praised and worshiped for everything they do, even when it's illogical and/or boring, so I hope you won't take it lightly when I say that this is the best movie I have seen all year.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: More than Tim Allen's last 9 movies combined.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not only will it move you, it also has some of the most thrilling action sequences I've seen in a while. Take a clue, Transformers. It's okay to have action AND a story.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Both the feature and the short film that plays before it (Day & Night) will win their respective categories.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: I can't believe I've seen Don Rickles in two new releases in as many weeks. And I'm equally as surprised that Barbie has finally been featured in a movie that's watchable.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Energetic and exhilarating, but I still don't see how 3D makes it any more interesting.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: They should teach this movie in screenwriting school. It has drama and humor and action and a multitude of moving parts that all come together perfectly. Not a moment is without its satisfying payoff.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/toy-story-3/22984/trailers

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Cyrus

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A desperate man (John C. Reilly) meets the woman of his dreams (Marisa Tomei) and finds out that she has a grown son (Jonah Hill) who doesn't want to share her.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener, Matt Walsh

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! It's small, intimate, short, and not particularly complex, but winning in all its simplicity.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Be warned, this is more of a dramedy than a comedy. This grouping of highly talented comedic actors get to show off their dramatic acting chops in between the rare but strong zingers.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I went in with definite opinions about who a parent should favor between their lover and their child in step-relationships, and this movie got me questioning what the right balance is. So I do feel a little sad about having my opinions shaken... But then again, the mother-son relationship seen here is extremely unusual, and not in a good way.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Definitely the Independent Spirit Awards. I would wager on 3 acting noms, a best screenplay, best feature, and possibly even a directing nomination.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Every one of the actors rises above expectation in this piece. And some of them started out pretty high in the expectations department, to begin with.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Jay and Mark Duplass have always been regarded as innovative directors in the indy scene, so it's interesting to see that they're still reinventing their style with little quirks like showing the actors not talking as we hear them talk. While the technique works surprisingly well, it still looks to me like an editing choice born out of necessity when they realized that they didn't have the footage they needed to tell the story they'd hoped for.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There is a raw, lack of subtlety in their dialogue that is at once refreshing and totally unrealistic... Unless you were to enter an alternate universe where everyone completely forgot how to silence the rude and off-putting parts of their inner monologue. Like France.

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

A: Despite the green light, the movie has a number of notable flaws. First, I didn't see the reason for the great love that these two people supposedly share, outside of the fact that they're both weird and desperate. And why, after 7 years, is the main character still so co-dependent with his ex-wife, that he confides everything in her, and she tries to set him up with new women?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/cyrus/10023901/trailers

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Grown Ups

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A group of childhood friends (Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider) reunite for a long weekend at the lake house they used to stay at when they were kids, only this time they have kids… Ah the memories.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek Pinault, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph, Joyce Van Patten, Ebony Jo-Ann, Di Quon, Steve Buscemi, Colin Quinn, Tim Meadows, Madison Riley, Jamie Chung, Ashley Loren, Jake Goldberg, Cameron Boyce, Alexys Nycole Sanchez

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. As I’ve gone to great lengths to demonstrate with the plot description, this movie has no plot. But it does give you a sense of what hanging out with Adam Sandler and his less successful Saturday Night Live cronies, plus Kevin James, must feel like.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: All they do is make fun of each other for an hour and half, and considering they are all professional stand-up comedians, they are bound to say something funny once in a while.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you have sophisticated taste, you will cry at how much America is going to love this movie. If you are America, you will be too busy laughing your ass off non-stop to have the energy to cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It actually is the best, most down to earth movie any of these guys has ever made. Except Adam Sandler, but only because he did The Wedding Singer.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Chris Rock simply can not act and he embarrasses himself by trying. On a positive note, he makes his comic friends look like Laurence Olivier. So that’s generous.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I’m starting to notice that Dennis Dugan, who directs most of Adam Sandler’s comedies, relies more heavily on over-the-top sound effects for his prat falls and face plants, than he does on stunt men. Meanwhile, the scene which most of you have seen from the preview, where Kevin James is too scared to let go of the rope, so he instead crashes into a tree and then falls down a hill landing right on the part of his neck that would cause it to break and him to die, or at least be paralyzed for life, needed to be edited both for sound and for picture, because there is no way he survived that fall the way it’s depicted now. No way. Not even if it were a scene from Transformers.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I’m pretty sure they didn’t use one. I imagine they all sat around saying, “Wouldn’t it be funny if we did a scene where we pee in the pool and it turns blue?” “Yeah, we’ll go to the water park for that. That way, production will pay us to have fun on the water slides.” “Yeah, we’re funny guys, we don’t need a story, people want to see us hanging out and having fun like we do.” “And anyway, so long as we say something funny every few sentences no one will notice that there’s no story here.” And the saddest part is that according to the crowd I saw it with, they were right.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/grown-ups/37887/trailers

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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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Winter's Bone

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a teenage girl (Jennifer Lawrence) finds out that her father gave their house up for bail money to get himself out of jail, she must track him down or prove that he's dead in order to save the house where she is the main caretaker for her 12-year-old brother and 7-year-old sister.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Dale Dickey, Garret Dillahunt, Lauren Sweetser, Isaiah Stone, Ashlee Thompson, Shelley Waggener, Tate Taylor, Sheryl Lee, Ronnie Hall, Kevin Breznahan,

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It is very slow paced for a very long time before becoming a heart-wrenching thriller about a girl who will go to any length to protect her younger siblings.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I'm pretty sure that in the town where this takes place, you could get killed for laughing.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Mostly it'll make you thankful about all the wonderful things and people you have in your life, because if you can a afford a movie ticket, you're already about a thousand times more privileged than the white trash in this story.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It has already won prizes at Sundance and Berlin, so I'm sure the Independent Spirit Awards will follow.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: At the ripe old age of 18, Jennifer Lawrence carries the movie practically all by herself. And considering there are rarely enough great roles for women, in a year, to fill all 5 spots at the Academy Awards, I wouldn't be surprised if she pulls an Ellen Page.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Depressing, bleak, grim, meditative, cold, dank, and perfectly suited for this film... If you like that sort of thing.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The stakes are high for the main character and her family, and the drama is intense, but I'm still not sure why everybody has to be such an a-hole to this poor kid, who's been forced into premature adulthood. As dumb as they are, the townsfolk have to realize that whatever her father did to piss them off, it has nothing to do with her. She didn't ask to be his offspring. And the fact that she is doesn't make her a bad person. It makes her the victim.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/winters-bone/10024255/trailers

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