On the Road 2012

     Based on a novel by Jack Kerouc.  New York writer Sal Paradise goes on a road trip for inspiration.  He’s been shaken by the death of his father and his writing career seems to be stalled.  He meets Dean Moriaty and they begin to travel across the American southwest together.  Dean is a charming ex-con, Marylou, his new wife is traveling with him.  They set out to break their molds and search for the different.  This begins to change their lives.

     Jack Kerouc’s novel is a classic and an exciting read, the Beat Generation bible.  This film seems to have nothing going on and it’s boring.  How can that be on a road adventure?  I don’t know but it is so?  3* (This movie is OK)

124 min, Adventure directed by Walter Salles with Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams, Tom Sturridge, Alice Braga, Elisabeth Moss, Kirsten Dunst.

Note:  Imdb 6.1 out of 10, 44% critic 38% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life 2011

     Based on a book by Wendy Mass.  Jeremy’s dad went to a fortuneteller when he was 13 years old.  She told him he would die when he was forty years old.  The prophecy came true and his dad died in an accident at forty.  Jeremy receives a box in the mail held by a friend of his dad’s until a month before Jeremy's 13^th birthday.  The box needs four keys to open it but the keys have been misplaced.  Jeremy sets out with his friend Lizzy to try to find keys that will fit the locks before his birthday.

     Jeremy and Lizzie learn a lot this summer before Jeremy’s birthday and they also grow up too.  Interesting and the young actors are good.  Somewhat like Extremely Loud and Extremely close except the boy was searching for a lock that fit his key.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

91 min, Drama directed by Tamar Halpem with Maxwell Beer, Mira Sorvino, Joe Pantoliano, Ryan Simpkins, Michael Urie, Mimo Gandhi, Daniel Cosgrove, Heather Brave, Gary Allen, Betsy Brandt.

Note:  Blockbuster 2 ½*, imdb 7.1 out of 10, 57% audience on Rotten Tomatoes

Les Miserables 2012

     This film is an adaptation of the musical Les Miserables and without major changes to the original plot.  Jean Valjean was sent to prison for 19 years, his crime was to steal a loaf of bread for his sister’s staving daughter.  He’s a very strong man and he worked on a crew pulling a ship into a dry dock. As a former prisoner, is he under the watchful eye of police officer Javert.  Soon his release, he steels silver from a local church.  When he is caught and taken back to the church, the priest states that Jean was given the silver.  Jean has a change of heart after the actions of the priest, he becomes a mayor and local businessman.  He later adopts a young girl, Cossette, the daughter of Fantine.  She was a former employee forced to become a prostitute in order to earn money to live and send money for the care of her daughter.

     I only lasted about one hour with this film and I wanted to quit sooner.  I found it very boring, I kept yawning and thinking of other things more interesting I could be doing.  Watching grass grow, watching paint dry, placing photos in albums, pulling weeds and standing out in direct sun during an intensely hot day just to sweat!!  I didn’t like the style of constant singing.  Usually in musicals, there is some action in between the singing and the style is not constant dirt, hungry people and drabness without even a faint ray of sunshine.  This is probably a love or hate type of film separating viewers into two camps.  1* (I hated this movie)

 

158 min, Drama directed by Tom Hooper with Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Smantha Barks. 

Note:  Blockbuster 3 ½*, imdb 7.7 out of 10, 69% critic 80% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Special Note:  Some of the reviews of this film are so funny!!  I screamed a scream instead of I had a dream!!

Smitty 2012

     Ben is thirteen years old and he’s a brat!  He lives with his hard-working single mother, Amanda.  He gets in real trouble when he tags along with a bad crowd as they damage a family owned restaurant.  Ben doesn’t give up the names of the other guys and he goes to court.  His choice is juvenile hall or spending the summer in Iowa on his grandfather’s farm.  After his first day, Ben is ready to leave the next day and he hits the road.  His grandfather comes after him, gets him a job for $5 an hour to earn money for a guitar he wants and a smart dog to keep track of him.

     Smitty deserves the title of this film.  He’s got it all, smart, obedient, cute, loveable, sticks to his job and he’s the best actor in this movie.  In one of the later scenes he’s supposed to create a real tear session for viewers but he’s so cute that you just have to laugh.  3 ½* (I liked this movie) (must love dogs!!)

94 min, Drama directed by David M. Evans with Brandon Tyler-Russell, Freddie James, Peter Fonda, Mira Sorvino, Louis Gossett Jr., Jason London.

Note:  Blockbuster 3 ½*, imdb 5.0 out of 10, 100% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Changing Times 2004

     Antoine is a construction supervisor who does a lot of traveling to different jobs.  He goes from France to Tangier to make sure a complicated job is completed by the due date.  It’s been 30 years since Antoine has seen Cecile and he has never married.  She was his first love and he’s still in love with her.  She is living in Tangier, married with a son and the host of an evening radio program.  Cecile likes her life the way it is and she is not interested in making changes.  Her son arrives for a visit and springs the surprise that he has brought his girlfriend and her son with him.  The addition of more people causes complications in the household routine.

     This film swings back and forth between the main characters with other people and situations thrown into the mix.  This style doesn’t add to the film but makes it seem very unfocused.  Perhaps this would be much better if the relationship of the main characters were central without the problems of the supporting characters.  I really wonder if the outcome of this film would be something that would happen in real life?  3* (This movie is OK)

100 min, Drama directed by Andre Techine with Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu, Gilbert Melki, Malik Zidi, Lubna Azabal, Tanya Lopert, Nabila Baraka, Jabir Elomri.

Note:  Blockbuster 2 ½*, imdb 6.1 out of 10, 63% critic 41% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

In Our Nature 2012

     Seth and his girlfriend Andie decide to get out of Brooklyn and head to his family’s weekend home in upstate New York.  They are planning a romantic getaway but unexpectedly his father and his new girlfriend had the same idea.  Seth and his father Gil don't get along very well and his parents are divorced.  Vicky, Gil's girlfriend, hasn’t met Seth or Andie before and Gil hasn’t even heard about Andie.  Both couples decide right away they will leave but then they decide it’s a long drive back and they might as way stay for dinner. 

     There is a not of old family business brought up along with new business on all sides.  Seemingly every other minute there is constant tension, stress, arguments, blunt inquiries and complaints.  Certainly not a relaxing movie out in the country for the weekend.  3* (This movie is OK)

103 min, Drama directed by Brian Savelson with Zach Gilford, Jena Malone, John Slattery, Gabrielle Union, David IIku, Lisa Velten Smith, Lola Cook, Hudson Price.

Note:  Imdb 5.5 out of 10, 50% critic 48% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Any Day Now 2012

     This film was inspired by a true story.  Marco is a teen boy with Down syndrome who lives next door to Rudy in the 70’s.  His mother is a drug addict, the boy was left alone all night and she didn’t come home in the morning because she is in jail.  Rudy tries to take care of him but Protective Services steps in and takes the boy to a care facility.  Rudy meets Paul, he is a lawyer and district attorney.   They visit the jail to get Marco’s mom to release custody while she is away.  Marco is happy to live with Rudy and Paul plus he is doing very well in a new school.  Everything goes smoothly for a while but then Rudy and Paul find themselves in a long court battle to become the legal guardians of Marco.

     This is good, the system does not care about Marco, only what looks good and works on paper.  The fact that he is really wanted and loved doesn’t matter by Rudy and Paul.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

97 min, Drama directed by Travis Fine with Alan Cumming, Garret Dillahunt, Isaac Leyva, Frances Fisher, Gregg Henry, Jamie Anne Allman, Chris Mulkey.

Note:  Blockbuster 3*, imdb 6.5 out of 10, 77% critic 75% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.