This was a good movie.  I never felt that what he was doing couldn’t be done.  There was only one out there escape and a one man versus five men fight, but they keep it pretty real.

An ex “preventer” lets his daughter go to Europe on vacation and she is kidnapped and forced into a sex trafficking ring.  He doesn’t think she is cut out for that type of work so he goes to pick her up.  He does some wild stuff on his way to meet her.  I can’t say that this is worth a theatre visit but you shoul definately see this movie when it is available for rent or purchase.

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Doubt is a film adapted from a play written by John Patrick Shanley, which tells the story of two nuns pulled into an investigation of one of the priests in their church.  The question becomes what is truth and how do you know it?

Philip Seymour Hoffman is Father Brendan Flynn, the young priest who becomes the mentor and protector of Donald Miller, the school’s first black student. The principal, Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), notices the friendship and plants the seed of doubt with Sister James (Amy Adams). Sister James is the film’s innocent, asking for proof of wrongdoing before assigning guilt. Sister Aloysius doesn’t need proof. She is convinced of Father Flynn’s guilt from the start, and all of the denials in the world wouldn’t be enough to acquit him in her eyes.

I thought the film was ok, but feel that I should give fair warning to take note of the title of the film. Don’t expect any easy answers, and don’t expect a lot of character development. Each character portrays a different archetype, not a rounded person.  Also, don’t miss the scene with Donald Miller’s mother, played by Viola Davis. It was by far the most powerful moment in the film, which has gotten her an Oscar Nomination.

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Previews I Liked:

Defiance
Taken

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Will Smith stars in Seven Pounds as Ben Thomas, a troubled and damaged IRS agent on a journey to right a grievous wrong.  He knows this is impossible, but he is determined to find redemption and shed his guilt.

While driving with his wife on a night like any other, Ben takes the life of seven people, becoming the sole survivor of a horrible three car accident. The film centers on how he is dealing with this tragedy over a year later.  Over the course of the film, the back story is revealed through flashbacks, providing clues to the viewer as to Ben’s plan. Will Smith inhabits this character completely, playing him in such an understated way that revelations come to the viewer slowly, including the realization that Ben didn’t actually survive the accident.  He walked away physically intact, but he has nothing to live for except his crushing guilt and his master plan.

Once you figure out what is going on (which is fairly early) it is very interesting watching all of the pieces fall into place. My only real complaint is that the film spends a lot more time on Rosario Dawson’s character than any of the others. I would have liked some more time with Ezra (Woody Harrelson)and Holly (Judyann Elder) as well.  Ultimately, I enjoyed the movie, though it is awfully sad.

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My sister made me late to this movie, so we didn’t catch the previews.

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This movie stars Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski, a retired veteran of the Korean war.  His wife has just died and you get a good look at how him and his family get along.  He never had a good relationship with his children or grandchildren and he pretty much stays to himself.  His only joy left is his 1972 Gran Torino.  There are some uncomfortable racial terms used in the movie but it helps you understand more about Walt.  He catches his korean neighbor breaking into his garage to steal his car which leads to him and the boy striking up a friendship and Walt trying to send the boy into the right direction.

This movie is really slow moving and sometimes seems like it is going nowhere but it is very interesting and I never was bored by what was going on in the movie.  I think this movie is worth seeing in a theatre even though the big screen doesn’t make the movie any better.  I just wouldn’t want to wait for it to come to DVD or rental.

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This is a comedy about a guy who is divorced from his wife and is going through a slump, he pretty much stays at home and watches movies and ignores his friends and has a pretty boring life.  He runs into his old friend who is kind of nutty but lives life to the fullest.  His friend puts him on to this seminar where they teach you to say yes to living life.  He goes, he learns, and he gets into some of the funniest situations.

I didn’t think much of movie from the preview except that it would be decently funny.  It ended up being great.  I laughed most of the movie and sometimes at the random things in between.  This isn’t something I would rush out and see in theatres unless you like the price of movies these days.  I would rent it.

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I was a little leery about this latest installment in the Bond franchise.  I jumped on the Daniel Craig bandwagon (along with everyone else) after seeing Casino Royale, his first foray into portraying this iconic character.  Royale was enthralling, and I still absolutely love the scene in which Bond is poisoned and actually dies.  He dies!  Of course, it’s only temporary, and Craig signed on for this follow up, Quantum of Solace (I love the name).  Solace was going to have much more action, all the articles said so, and I have an automatic shut off switch when it comes to car chases, foot chases, shoot outs, and any type of battle scene.  So, sure, I was leery.

I loved it.  The story was sharp and moved quickly.  It picks up right where Casino Royale left off, with Bond on a mission to get revenge for the death of the woman he loved.  We jump in with him in pursuit of a secretive organization called QUANTUM, and chasing after …. (played by Mathieu Amalric, who starred in the amazing The Diving Bell and The Butterfly).  The dialogue is clever and biting, and Judi Dench is a riot, reprising her role as M.  The one complaint that I have is the style in which it was shot.  I complained about this back in my Bourne Ultimatum review (which I know all of you faithful readers have read) about the fight scenes and chase scenes that employed the “shaky camera” technique.  This is probably more realistic, and captures the frenetic nature of what is happening, but that doesn’t matter if I can’t tell what is happening.  Who is chasing who?  Who was just hit in the head by a piece of collapsing ceiling?  I couldn’t tell, and that takes the fun out of it for me.

All in all, this is completely worth seeing (for the two of you who haven’t by now, this isn’t a very timely review).  Its fun and its action packed and Daniel Craig is so very much fun to look at.  This makes it a great date movie, action sequences for the guys and Daniel Craig for the ladies.

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Previews I Liked:

Star Trek
Yes Man
Nothing Like the Holidays
Angels and Demons
Seven Pounds

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I will be completely honest with you. I am not a huge fan of the books. I’ve read them all, devoured them, really, but I had issues with them. I’m going to put the issues aside for this; I tried to view the movie with an objective mind set, on its own merits.

Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) is the 17 year old (well, to those who aren’t in the know) vampire who falls in love with Bella Swann (Kristin Stewart), a human girl who is drawn to him in spite of the obvious danger. Despite their very obvious differences, they become inseparable, and Bella must learn to move amongst the Cullen “family”. Edward lives with his parents and four other teenage vampires, forming their coven. All seven of them have taken on their chosen identity to blend in with everyone else in the small town of Forks. Going into the movie I thought the casting was wacky. Though the actors playing his mom and dad do a terrific job they look far too young for the part.

Honestly, the movie wasn’t half bad. It stays faithful to the novel, and the small changes that are made improve the whole. Yes, I found it to be cheesy and there was a LOT of gazing into each others’ souls, but it’s sincere, so that makes it all easier to digest. I still have concerns about the cast (how will Taylor Lautner play the much larger Jacob in the second installment?) but the principle actors were well cast and the film itself was a solid effort. This seems to be a hit with the entire female population, most of them salivating over Edward (a little creepy considering he’s supposed to be 17), but guys should attend as well if they want to get in good with their female companions.

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Previews I Liked

Marley and Me
Four Christmases
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Yes Man
Knowing

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Three cheers for Kevin Smith!  I’ve missed him in the last couple of years, and I have to say that his return was extremely satisfactory.  I have always been a defender of Smith and his movies (including Jersey Girl).  I have signed DVDs and posters.  So I was extremely excited about his new film.

Seth Rogen is Zack and Elizabeth Banks is Miri, friends since the first grade and never anything else.  From the moment they appear on screen they are nothing but endearing and loveable losers.  The film gets a bit of a slow start, but once their power and water is cut off, the film picks up speed.  They decide to make a porno and enlist an odd group of regular folks to star (including Traci Lords and Jason Mewes).

The movie is raunchy and sometimes disgusting, but completely hilarious.  The film itself makes fun of the fact that it is so heartwarming in such a dirty backdrop, but it still doesn’t escape the fact that it is a love story about two people oblivious to the fact that they are meant for each other.  I definitely recommend this movie, but be prepared for the sexuality presented.  At least no one can say that the title didn’t warn them.

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Previews I Liked
Twilight
Yes Man
Soul Men
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Quantum of Solace

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Welcome to the Meg Ryan show.  Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but let me give you a list of women who also star in this movie (read this list also as women who were not given nearly enough to do):  Annette Benning, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Debra Messing, Bette Midler, and Carrie Fisher (this last with a meager five minutes of screen time).

With that said, it’s not a bad movie.  Mary Haines’ (Meg Ryan) husband is having an affair with a twenty-something, a bit of information that makes its way to the women through a manicurist who loves to gossip.  Now Mary must decide what is best for herself and her family, while fielding advice from all of the women around her, including her mother, Catherine (Candice Bergen) and her best friend Sylvia (Annette Benning).

I know this is a remake.  Being completely ignorant of the original, I can only judge this version on its own merits.  At the end of the day, you only get surface from each of these characters, even Mary.  I just don’t know enough about any of them to care all that much.  It was an enjoyable movie, but just like a sugary confection, it was pleasant going down and not all that filling in the end.

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Previews I liked:

Nothing Like the Holidays
MilkThe Duchess
The Secret Life of Bees

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The Coens are my favorite filmmakers.  I went into this knowing it was more Fargo than No Country for Old Men.  Unfortunately, it’s no Fargo either.  All the elements were there: inept criminals, blackmail, money, and genuine shock value.  It’s fast paced, brightly colored, and amusing.  So what happened?

Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand star as two fitness club employees,  Chad and Linda, who find seemingly top secret info and try to sell it back to the owner, Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) for major money (it’s really just part of a crappy memoir burned onto a disc full of financial info for a divorce case).  Well, things don’t go exactly as planned.  See what I mean about shock value?  At the same time, Ozzie’s wife is having an affair with Harry, played in his now usual (at least for these directors) cartoon style by George Clooney.  What comes out the other side is a single punch line at the end of a two hour set-up.

To tell the truth, I wanted to love it.  But at best it ends up being mediocre.  I’m not saying that it doesn’t have its moments, because it truly does.  The whole thing is just mellow and low key, which just doesn’t work if the jokes aren’t clever enough.  The film grows on you, but at this point in the Coens’ career, with Fargo and No Country behind them, it shouldn’t have to.

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Previews I Liked:

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist

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