Wrecked 2011

    A car goes off the road and crashes on a the side of a forest mountain.  One man survives in the car and he's trapped in the wreckage with a dead man in the back seat.  He doesn't remember what happened and he doesn't know where the driver went?  He struggles to get out of the car and make a splint for his injured leg.  His only choice is to try to find a way out by crawling but the mountain is too steep.
    This is tough, he sees things and you're not sure what's real and what isn't?  This is like 127 hours with only one character trying not to die.  3* (This movie is OK)

90 min, Mys directed by Michael Greenspan with Adrien Brody, Ryan Robbins, Caroline Dhavernas, Jacob Blair.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 5.1 out of 10, 52% critic 20% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Your Highness 2011

    Thadeous (McBride) has always stood in the shadow of his older brother, Fabious (Franco).  Thadeous has lived a life of luxury but Fabious has been on many quests of adventure.  A powerful wizard kidnaps Fabious' bride during their wedding ceremony and the two brothers go off together to save her.  They meet up with Isabel (Portman), a fearless woman warrior who joins them on their quest.
    This is funny and it combines many aspects of different medieval adventure movies.  Thadeous, Fabious and Isabel really get into their roles and everything is over the top.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

102 min, Comedy directed by David Gordon Green with Danny McBride, James France, Rasmus Hardiker, Natalie Portman, Toby Jones, Justin Theroux, Zooey Deschanel, Charles Dance.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 5.7 out of 10, 27% critic 37% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff 2010

    Jack Cardiff worked with some of the biggest names in the film industry including Alfred Hitchcock and John Huston.  He won an Academy Award for his work on Black Narcissus in 1947.  He was in the business for 54 years and had 3 more nominations, he was given a lifetime achievement Oscar.
    This needs a little more life, it is interesting to see clips of the old films and write down the ones that you would like to see.  3* (This movie is OK)

90 min, Doc directed by Craig McCall with Martin Scorsese, Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, Charlton Heston, Kim Hunger, John Mills, Alan Parker.

Note:  Blockbuster 4*, imdb 7.5 out of 10, 96 critic 92 audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Colors of the Mountain 2010

    In the remote, mountainous region of the Colombian countryside, Manuel lives with his hard-working farmer parents.  Manuel and his friend Julian are obsessed with playing soccer, Manuel receives a new ball for his birthday but soon after the ball is kicked into an area with land mines.  While Manuel and Julian are worrying about how to get the ball back, the parents are trying to avoid both the armed military and the guerrilla rebels.  You can be killed by the military for helping the guerrillas and killed by the guerrillas for not joining their cause.
    The countryside is beautiful and a new teacher has come to teach at the school.  Everything is becoming worse and families are leaving everything that they can't carry behind.  Manuel's mother wants to leave but his father is determined to stay.  People are struggling to provide for their basic needs but outside forces are working against normal life every day.  3 1/2*  (I liked this movie) 
  
107 min, Drama directed by Carlos Cesar Arbelaez with Hernan Mauricio Ocampo, Nolberto Sanchez, Genaro Aristizabal.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 7.1 out of 10, 100% critic 75% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Salt of this Sea 2008

    Soraya fulfills her life-long dream of returning to Palestine, the home of her parents and grandparents.  She has an American passport since she was born in Brooklyn but she has a lot of difficulty getting into the country.  She discovers that her grandfather's savings were frozen in a bank account in Jaffa and absorbed by the government.  She wants to remain in Palestine but her visa is only for two weeks, she's running out of money, she needs a job.
    Soraya makes a lot of problems for herself with her attitude.  She has a lot of vinegar and no sugar which rubs everyone the wrong way and doesn't help with any of her endeavors.  3* (This movie is OK)

109 min, Drama directed by Annemarie Jacir with Suheir Hammad, Saleh Bakri, Riyad Idels.

Note:  Not listed on Blockbuster, imdb 6.7 out of 10, 54% critic 69% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Beastly 2011

    Kyle is handsome, arrogant, he detests people who are less attractive and weak.  He invites a classmate Kendra to a rally and then he spurns her in front of everyone.  She doesn't take this lightly and casts a dark spell on Kyle that changes him into an unsightly creature who strikes fear into everyone who sees him.  The curse will last for one year and will be removed if he can find someone to love him for who he is on the inside.
    This seems like a made for TV movie or a soap opera episode?  When Kyle gives a speech about becoming class president and you look at the audience, how can a school be filled with only beautiful, well put together teens without any flaws?  3* (This movie is OK)

86 min, Sci-Fi directed by Daniel Barnz with Alex Pettyfer, Vaness Hudgens, Mary-Kate Olsen, Neil Patrick Harris, Erik Knudsen, Dakota Johnson, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Peter Krause.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 5.0 out of 10, 19% critic 50% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Into the Storm 2009

    Winston Churchill rose to the call when Hitler was on the march in Europe.  Writing his own speeches, disregarding his political career, his health and his marriage, he vowed to fight with everything possible.  His wife Clemmie was his staunch supporter and tried to get him to slow down just a little.
    This is good, what politician today writes his own speeches that live on plus keep their promises.  He worked 16 hour days no matter how tired he became.  Janet McTeer is good in her role as Clemmie.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

96 min, War directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan with Brendan Gleeson, Janet McTeer, Len Cariou.

Note:  Blockbuster 3 1/2*, imdb 7.0 out of 10, not rated by critics 66% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Thor 2011

    Thor is banished to earth and his powers are removed until he learns how to be a true leader.  Astrophysicist Jane Foster, her assistant Darcy and Dr. Erik Selvig are out in the New Mexico desert when they see unexpected lights in the sky.  Jane has recorded data about the wormhole that delivered Thor to earth.  Jane, Darcy and Dr. Selvig help Thor return to the site of his hammer which is the source of his power.

    OK, I am not usually a fan of this type of movie and I was very skeptical that this would be any good but it's better than I thought.  You have to set aside thoughts of "disbelief" but this is entertaining.  3* (This movie is OK)


114 min, Sci-Fi directed by Kenneth Branagh with Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard, Anthony Hopkins, Tadanobu Asano, Colm Feore, Idris Elba, Ray Stevenson, Kat Dennings.

Note:  Blockbuster 3 1/2*, imdb 7.2 out of 10, 77% critic 80% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders 2008

    Emergency medical care under extreme conditions in Liberia and Congo.  Four volunteers with Doctors Without Borders, each with different levels of experience, each facing the challenges of limited supplies, limited equipment and tough choices.
    This is interesting, each doctor comes with their own personalities, strengths and weeknesses.  The first patients that die are hard to take, making a proper diagnosis is sometimes guess work, elimination of options and trying to do no harm in the process.  There is a combination of patients, those coming in with war injuries and local people needing emergency or routine medical care.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie.

93 min, Doc directed by Mark N. Hopkins with Chris Brasher, Davinder Gill, Tom Krueger, Chiara Lepora.

Note:  Not listed on Blockbuster, imdb 8.4 out of 10, 93% critic 77% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Drive 2011

    Driver is a stunt driver by day and getaway driver at night.  Usually a loner, he meets his neighbor Irene and gets caught up into a dangerous underworld because of her just released from prison husband.  A lot of cash is at stake but also the lives of Irene and her son.
    This is quiet and restrained on one side and all out car stunts, violence and killing on the other.  A lot can be said with no words but greed, anger and revenge throw you back in your seat.  4* (I really liked this movie)

100 min, Action directed by Nicolas Winding Refn with Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Oscar Isaac, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Kaden Leos.

Note:  Note listed on Blockbuster, imdb 8.7 out of 10, 92% critic 81% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Limitless 2011

    Eddie Morra is close to hitting bottom, an author without a novel.  He doesn't pay his rent, everything is a mess, his looks, his apartment, his life.  In an instant it all changes, he meets and old friend with a powerful new drug called NZT.  The drug makes your brain function at 100%, total recall of every event in your life, learn languages immediately, play the piano and make money.  The catch, supply, demand, side effects and can you or will you stop taking the drug?  Also, what happens when others both good and bad try to tap into your supply?
    This is good except it's moving so fast you can't keep track of all the details that probably are loose ends.  There is some uncertainty at the end but who cares?  Different!  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

105 min, Mys directed by Neil Burger with Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish, Andrew Howard, Anna Friel, Johnny Whitworth.

Note:  Blockbuster 3 1/2*, imdb 7.3 out of 10, 70% critic 74% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Lincoln Lawyer 2011

    Mickey Haller conducts his legal practice from his car, he represents bottom feeder clients short on funds.  He thinks he's on his way to the bank with the defense of his rich new client.  Slowly events begin to shift and pressure is brought on him instead of the client.
    This is good, you don't know how it's going to turn out?  Is this client an innocent perfect gentleman as he claims or is Haller in way over his head?  4* (I really liked this movie)


119 min, Mystery directed by Brad Furman, Tommy Lee Jones with Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy.

Note:  Blockbuster 4*, imdb 7.4, 83% critic 82% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Lost Mine 1989

    A Chinese businessman with a map showing a long lost silver mine is found dead in Chinatown.  Poirot must use his little gray cells and also the new communication system at Scotland Yard to find the map and the killer.  It is not helping matters that Poirot is overdrawn at his bank and it must be their mistake!!  Poirot and Hastings have been playing Monopoly and unfortunately, Hastings is winning!!
    It is interesting to see that Scotland Yard of 1935 has two way radios between headquarters and cars in the field.  They use a large map of the city and model cars to represent the positions of the cars.  They are able to trap a suspect in front of 3 police cars.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

51 min, Mys directed by Edward Bennett with David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran, Anthony Bate, Colin Stinton, Barbara Barnes, James Saxon, Vincent Wong, Richard Albrecht, John Cording, Gloria Connell.

Note:  Not listed on Blockbuster, imdb 7.5 out of 10, not listed on Rotten Tomatoes.

BLAST! 2008

    A dedicated team of astrophysicists launch a telescope attached to a NASA high-altitude balloon.  Every detail must be checked thoroughly, the misplacement of a single microchip can lead to the failure of multi-million dollar piece of fragile equipment.  They hope to reveal hidden starburst galaxies never seen before.
    This is good, there are sacrifices and hard work involved, it seems like they will never succeed.  They miss their families and spend a lot of time away from them in this effort. 3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

74 min, Doc directed by Paul Devlin with Mark Devlin, Barth Netterfield, Victor Cavison, Jeff Klein, Marie Rex, Gaelen Marsden, Enzo Pascale, Christopher Semisch, Matthew Truch.

Note:  Blockbuster 3 1/2*, imdb 6.9 out of 10, not listed on Rotten Tomatoes.

Phil Ochs: There for for Fortune 2010

    American folk singer Phil Ochs rose to fame in the 60's.  He was equally critical of both the left, the right and he released 7 albums.  He deeply felt the events of the time, the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, the Viet Nam War, election of Richard Nixon and Lyndon B. Johnson.
    I did not know the history of Phil Ochs and this is a documentary that tells the story including the warts.  Phil struggled with inherited depression and manic personality plus alcoholism.  In some ways this seems more like a history lesson?  3* (This movie is OK)

97 min, Doc directed by Kenneth Bowser with Phil Ochs, Michael Ochs, Arthur Gorson, Tom Hayden, Judy Henske, Christopher Hitchens.

Note:  Blockbuster 4*, imdb 6.8 out of 10, 100% critic 78% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim 1989

    Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard makes a wager with Hercule Piorot that Piorot will not be able to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Mr. Davenheim without leaving his apartment.  Piorot is confident he can solve this case with the help of his friend Captain Hastings doing interviews and collecting clues.  Mr. Davenheim left him home to go to post a letter and is not seen again.  His wife discovers a few days later that her jewelry has been be stolen from a locked safe that has been forced open.
    It is slightly difficult for Piorot to remain confined during the investigation especially since his companion is a talkative parrot needing a home while his owner is away.  Should the bird be used for nourishment instead?  Is it possible for the little gray cells to meet this challenge?  This is interesting and good.  4* (I really liked this movie)

52 min, Mys directed by Andrew Grieve with David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran, Mel Martin, Kenneth Colley, Tony Mathews, Fiona McArthur, Richard Beale, Bob Mason.

Note:  Not listed on Blockbuster, imdb 7.0 out of 10, not listed on Rotten Tomatoes.

In a Better World 2010

    Anton is a doctor who lives in Denmark but works at an African refugee camp.  He is struggling with a possible divorce and he has two boys, Elias is 10 with year with a younger brother.  Claus has recently lost his wife to cancer, he and his son Christian move from London to Denmark.  Elias and Christian become friends but they begin to make dangerous choices.
    This movie feels like it has too many issues on the table at a time.  Many problems in Denmark and then other problems in Africa.  It seems to dilute the importance of each by tying to tell too many stories.  3* (This movie is OK)

113 min, Drama by Susanne Bier with Mikael Perbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsne, Markus Rygaard, William Johnk Nielsen, Bodil Jorgensen.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 7.7 out of 10, 78% critic 86% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sucker Punch 2011

    Fantasy tale of a young woman who escapes into a vivid world after being committed to a mental hospital.  She's lost her mother, her stepfather is abusive and she is blamed for the death of her younger sister.  She creates an alternate reality and she must find 5 items to become free.
    This is like a video game and a movie combined and blended.  You have to adjust your mind to this as a fact and forget about trying to figure anything out.  I wanted the ending to be different but it was set in the beginning.  3* (This movie is OK)

110 min, Action directed by Zack Snyder with Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Oscar Isaac.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 6.2 out of 10, 23% critic 49% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Unknown 2011

    Dr. Martin Harris is not having a good day, he has flown to Berlin with his wife Elizabeth to give an important presentation.  He left his briefcase containing his passport at the airport, his taxi back to the airport goes over a bridge into the water below.  He's unconscious, his heart has stopped, he's lucky to be alive and he's in the hospital for 4 days in a coma.  This is not all, when he finds Elizabeth at a party, someone else is claiming to be Dr. Harris?
    How is he going to prove he's the real Dr. Harris without identification?  His nurse at the hospital advises him to seek out the former head of the German Secret Police to help him.  He recommends finding the taxi driver who saved his life as the first step.
    This is good, Dr. Harris not only has to prove who he is but people are trying to kill him in order to protect the imposter Dr. Harris.  Twists and turns, who is real, who is a fake, what are the facts behind all the mysteries?  On the edge of your seat action.  4* (I really liked this movie)

113 Min, Mys directed by Jaume Collet-Serra with Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones. Aidan Quinn, Bruno Ganz, Frank Langella.

Note:  Blockbuster 3 1/2*, imdb 7.0 out of 10, 55% critic 58% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

 

Super 2010

   Sad sack Frank loses his ex-addict wife to a drug dealer, he decides to fight back against this crime and others by becoming the Crimson Bolt.  He starts out with a set of rules for fighting back which include cutting in lines.  He acquires a sidekick named Boltie and they both become more violent as they cut a swath through "crime."
    This starts out OK but a bit strange and gets stranger as it goes along plus more bloody.  It's just too long and you want to just give up halfway into the film, it's too much slogging to reach the end and then it's not worth getting to the end.   2* (I didn't like this movie)

96 min, Com directed by James Gunn with Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon.

Note:  Not listed on Blockbuster, imdb 6.9 out of 10, 46% critic 58% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sanctum 2011

    Inspired by actual events, a master diver and his team explore the Esa-ala cave system in the South Pacific.  A massive storm collapses the entrance, supplies are decreasing, light must be rationed and water levels are rapidly rising.  The best hope for survival is to follow an underground river which may empty into the ocean.
    I like the Australian accents but the background music is terrible, it's supposed to increase the drama and suspense but it is just annoying with no way to be turned off.  Many of the characters seem too vacant to ever have been real?  3* (This movie is OK) 

109 min, Drama directed by Alister Grierson with Richard Roxburgh, Rhys Wakefield, Ioan Gruffudd, Alice Parkinson, Daniel Wyllie, Nicole Downes.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 5.7 out of 10, 30% critic 39% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

 

The Company Men 2010

    Bobby Walker has a big house, a new Porsche, golf club membership, a wife and two kids and now he's out of a job with severance pay for four months.  He's confident he'll have another job within a couple of days or weeks.  This doesn't happen, 12 years at his job, a lot of experience but a struggling economy.  The four months pass quickly and Bobby has to do something?
    Are possessions and your job the true measure of how much you are worth as a person?  Can it be something else that is more lasting like relationships with family, friends, former co-workers and even people you meet on your job hunt?  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

105 min, Drama directed by John Wells with Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Maria Bello, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kevin Costner.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 6.8 out of 10, 67% critic 55% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

A Summer in Genoa 2008

    An English family goes to Italy after the wife/mother is killed in an auto accident while they were living in the United States.  Dad is hoping a change of scenery will help him and his two daughters with their grief.  Oldest daughter Kelly, meets a lot of new friends but seems lacking in supervision.  Mary is still having problems, during the day she seems OK but she cries for her mother in the night.  A former university colleague tries to help the family, she's knowledgeable about the language, history and the city.
    You can see the intense grief in Mary and you really feel for her plus the struggles of her dad trying to take care of them, cook for them and teach students.  I enjoyed the movie but did not like the ending, it seems like falling off a cliff instead of providing closure.  3* (This movie is OK)
 

93 min, Drama directed by Michael Winterbottom with Colin Firth, Catherine Keener, Hope Davis, Willa Holland, Perla Haney-Jardine.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, 6.1 out of 10, no reviews yet on Rotten Tomatoes.

Bridesmaids 2011

    Annie is happy her best friend is engaged and planning her wedding.  Inside, she's unhappy because she feels like a failure, she loved her bake shop but she lost a lot of money due to the economy and it closed.  She doesn't have a boyfriend and her mother got her a job.  Things are become more complicated when she meets Lillian's new friend Helen.  Wealthy, beautiful, stepping in to take control of the wedding details, where does Annie fit in? 
    This is funny and good except for a lot of body humor, how can that be missing in a Judd Apatow movie?  You really begin to feel the hurt welling up in Annie and hope she makes better choices.  4* (I really liked this movie.)

121 min, Comedy directed by Paul Feig with Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Jon Hamm, Jill Clayburgh, Chris O'Dowd, Melissa McCarthy.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 7.4, 90% critic 81% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Midnight in Paris 2011

    Inez and Gil are an engaged couple visiting Paris with her wealthy conservative parents.  Gil is a writer struggling to finish his first novel, he's thinking about moving to Paris but Inez would like to live in Malibu.  Gil starts to walk the streets of Paris in the late evening and he discovers a world of the past.  He's surprised to encounter Cole Porter, Josephine Baker, Zelda and F.Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemmingway and Gertrude Stein.
    The blend of the past and the present begin to open Gil's eyes to the reality of his own life.  This is good, everything seems magical in Paris.  I enjoyed this and it did help that I was on a flight to Paris myself!  4* (I liked this movie)

94 min, Comedy directed by Woody Allen with Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni, Adrien Brody, Michael Sheen.

Note:  Blockbuster 4*, imdb 8.1, 92% critic 86% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

You Don't Know Jack 2010

    Dr. Jack Kevorkian was an outspoken assisted suicide advocate and activist.  He is sentenced to jail several times, he refused to post bail and went on a hunger strike each time.  His attorney posted the bail for him but the last time he was in for a longer stay which made him very weakened.  He was tried for second degree murder and delivery of a controlled substance, this time he went to prison for 8 years.
    Dr. Kevorkian may have had more success in his endeavors if he had not been so abrasive.  He didn't want to be dictated to by the law or anyone else and he took risks trying to be charged so he could take his case to the Supreme Court which didn't happen.  A different aspect is that this is the first time I've seen Al Pacino not trying to look younger than his age.  3* (This movie is OK)

134 min, Drama directed by Barry Levinson with Al Pacino, Brenda Vaccaro, John Goodman, Deirdre O'Connell, Todd Susman, Susan Sarandon.

Note:  Blockbuster 3 1/2*, imdb 7.8 out of 10, 82% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Cards on the Table 1989

    A group of people are invited to a party hosted by one of London's wealthiest men, Mr. Shaitana.  No one in the group knows very much about Mr. Shaitana but they are interested in the party because there will be two separate games of cards.  Before the night has ended, Mr. Shaitana will be discovered dead in his chair and not asleep as they thought.  The party group consists of four detectives and four possible murders or are there eight possible murderers?
    Everyone is questioned thoroughly by the police and also Hercule Poirot.  Monsieur Poirot has his own methods which includes the purchase of 19 pairs of very fine and expensive silk stockings?  This is good, of course you are going to try to solve the case but are there missing clues, hints not provided, backgrounds not included?  It's still worth a try!!  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

120 min, Mys directed by Sarah Harding with David Suchet, James Alper, Philip Bowen, Cordelia Bugeja, Zigi Ellison, Tristan Gemmill.

Note:  Not listed on Blockbuster, imdb 7.4 out of 10, not listed on Rotten Tomatoes.