Law Abiding Citizen 2009

      Clyde Shelton's family is brutally murdered and the people responsible are caught.  Because of improper procedures by the D.A. Nick Rice has only circumstantial evidence.  Rice  decides to get one of the criminals to testify against the other.  When Clyde learns of this, he is not happy.  Ten years later, the criminal who was convicted is being executed but something goes wrong during the process?  His execution goes awry, he suffers and it is discovered that someone tampered with the machine?  The other person convicted is found dead and killed in a gruesome manner?  Rice suspects Clyde is the guilty party so he has him picked up.  In the beginning, Clyde agrees to a plea agreement with Rice but he changes his mind.  It appears that Clyde is not finished, he blames the whole system and is declaring war on everyone involved with his family's case.  Rice must stop him but Shelton is way ahead of him!!!

109 min, Action directed by F. Gary Gray, written by Kurt Wimmer with Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Bibb, Bruce McGill, Com Meaney, Michael Irby, Gregory Itzin, Regina Hall, Emerald-Angel Young, Christian Stolte, Annie Corley.

Note:  Imdb 7.4* out of 10* with 276,450 reviews,

Special Note:  Director F. Gary Gray decided to use Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse as the restaurant that caters Clyde's lunch after dining there several times during filming.  The restaurant was also the location of the film's after-party following its screening at the Philadelphia Film Festival.  When he is in Clyde's house, Colm Meaney asks Jamie Foxx if Clyde is a lawyer and he hands him a volume of the U.S. Code (federal statutes).  This volume has the bankruptcy code and this would not appear to be helpful to Clyde's plan?  But he may have just had the complete set of volumes and one pulled that one at random?  Gerard Butler’s character uses the line "It's not what you know, it's what you can prove in court".  This is the same line Denzel Washington used in Training Day (2001) minus the "in court”.

Mistakes:  Assuming the movie takes place in 2009, the seventh-generation Honda Accord (introduced in 2003) seen behind Clyde as he watches Nick shaking Darby's hand during the press conference in 1999 would not have existed?  The CCTV cameras used for monitoring the prison interview 'bird cage' are IKEGAMI ITC CTC-5000 models dating from the late 60's through the the early 70’s.  Clearly the movie is set in the 21st century and cameras are replaced at least every decade or so.  In the recital scenes, it is obvious that the cello shown on screen is not making the music being heard.  At the first recital the bowing does not match and at the second recital the finger placement is wrong.

Somers Town 2008

      Two teenagers, both newcomers to London forge an unlikely friendship over the course of a hot summer.  Tomo is a runaway from Nottingham, Marek lives in the district of Somers Town.  It is between King's Cross and Euston stations where Maek’s dad is working on a new rail link.  The boys are both infatuated with the same girl and they pass their days bickering over which of them loves her the most.  Tomo is homeless and he surreptitiously moves into Marek's bedroom.  It's only a matter of time before Marek's dad discovers what's going on!!

     This film is a gritty and grainy black & white film with color inserts.  It has a real "do it yourself" look to it and it wears its heart on its sleeve.  The story concerns two teen aged boys.  Tomo (played by Thomas Turgoose) is from 'This Is England'). He is a homeless lad that managed to escape a harrowing home life in the north-Midlands.  

     Tomo runs wild in the streets of London and Marek (played by newcomer Piotr Jagiello) is also a young lad.  He is living with his divorced father, Mariusz (played by Ireneusz Czap).  Both are immigrants from Poland and living in London.  Tomo & Marek meet under some dubious circumstances with Marek not liking Tomo much at first.  3* (This movie is OK)

71 min, Comedy directed by Shane Meadows and written by Paul Fraser and mother Vision with Piotr Jagiello, Irene Czop Perry Benson, Thomas Turgoose, Kate Dickie, Wojciech Olczak, Wojtek Macierznski, Ben Porter, Jamie Belman, Steven Hillman, Mark Monero, Ryan Ford, Levi Hayes, Risade Campbell.

Special Note:  When Maria is speaking to the French man in the café where she works, the man is talking about his digestion problems?  What is going on with that??  This film is shot entirely in black and white except the ending scene is in color.

Where the Wild Things Are 2009

      A young boy named Max has an active imagination and he will throw fits if others don't go along with what he wants.  Max throws a tantrum and he runs away.  He had this tantrum because he thinks his Mother was paying more attention to her boyfriend than to Max?  This is also following an incident with Claire (his sister) and her friends.

     Wearing his wolf costume at the time, Max not only runs away physically but runs toward a world in his imagination. This world is an ocean away and it is inhabited by large wild beasts.  This includes one named Carol who is much like Max  in temperament.  Instead of eating Max like they normally would with creatures of his type, the wild things befriend Max when he proclaims himself a king who can magically solve all their problems? 

     In July 2006, less than six weeks before the start of shooting, the Henson built monster suits arrived at the Melbourne soundstage where Spike Jonze and his crew had set up their offices.  The actors climbed inside and began moving around.  Right away, Jonze could see that the heads were absurdly heavy.  Only one of the cast members appeared to be able to walk in a straight line.  A few of them called out from within their costumes that they felt like they were going to tip over.  Jonze and the production crew had no choice but to tell the Henson people to tear apart the fifty-pound heads.  They would also need to remove the remote-controlled mechanical eyeballs.  This meant that all the facial expressions would have to be generated in post-production, using computers.

     This adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s book Where the Wild Things Are isn't appropriate for younger children, even those who adore the book.  There's a big difference between looking at a beautifully illustrated children's story and watching a live-action movie full of sights and sounds that will probably scare the average 4-year-old.  The movie explores mature themes of loneliness, insecurity and fear of change both within Max's human family and the family he finds on his adventure.  The island that Max lands on can be a scary and dark place and the Wild Things themselves aren't above threatening repeatedly to eat Max.  They can also become hot-headed and destructive.  When a Wild Thing gets destructive, it can be quite intense.  The movie also has a slower, dreamier feel than many other kids' movies, relationships and storylines aren't always neatly resolved.  There's some mild language and a quick glimpse of Max's mom and her boyfriend drinking wine and kissing.  Otherwise the PG rating is due mainly to Max's occasionally frightful time with the mysterious Wild Things.  4* (I really liked this movie)

101 min, Action Adventure, directed and written by Spike Jonze and also written by Dave Eggers with Catherine Keener, Max Records, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, Chris Cooper, Catherine O’Hara, Forest Whitaker.

Note:  Imdb 6.7* out of 10* with 102K review, Rotten Tomatoes 73% with 270 critic reviews 57% with 250,000+ audience scores, Common Sense Media 1* drinking, drugs & smoking, 2* positive messages and language, 3* positive role models and violence,

Special Note:  Spike Jonze turned down the chance to make the movie fully animated because he wanted people to feel the Wild Things.  He thought it would be more exciting and dangerous if a real kid were running around with the wild things.  The movie's release generated conflicting views over whether it is harmful to expose children to frightening scenes.  Spike Jonze indicated that his goal was "to make a movie about childhood" rather than to create a children's movie.  Dan Fellman, Warner Brothers' head of movie distribution, noted that the film's promotion was not directed towards children.  Parents were advised to exercise their own discretion.  In an interview with Newsweek, Maurice Sendak stated that “parents who deemed the film's content to be too disturbing for children should "go to hell.”  That's a question I will not tolerate" and he further noted "I saw the most horrendous movies that were unfit for a child's eyes.  So what?  I managed to survive?”

Mistakes:  When Max jumps on K.W, Carol jumps toward them and K.W. says "Max look out."  Max never told them his name. They just called him “King".  When Max is falling head over heels down the sand dune, his crown comes flying off twice.  During the "Rumpus", when Carol jumps straight up into a tree trunk, he falls back on his front. However, when the camera cuts to Max, then back to Carol, he is now on his back?  

2012 2009

      Earth's billions of inhabitants are unaware that the planet has an expiration date.  Because of the warnings of an American scientist (Chiwetel Ejiofor), world leaders begin secret preparations for the survival of select members of society.  When the global cataclysm finally occurs, failed writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) tries to lead his family to safety as the world starts falling apart.

     2012 is an intense and violent disaster movie with billions of anonymous characters getting killed during massive scenes of destruction (earthquakes, tsunamis, and more).  Although the tone is mainly exciting, the relentless devastation could terrify or depress many viewers, both children, teens and adults.  Especially those who've been through natural disasters themselves.  Frankly, this is not a movie for children or teens anxious about the state of the world.  Fans of the genre will find some of the special effects truly impressive. There's not much in the way of character development or plot depth.  Expect a little bit of kissing, drinking and swearing.  All that and it's almost three hours long?  3* (This movie is OK)

158 min Action directed by Roland Emmerich with John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, Woody Harrelson, Tom McCarthy, Liam James, Morgan Lily.

Note:  Imdb 5.8* out of 10% with 353K reviews, Metacritic 49 out of 100 with 34 critic reviews, 5.5 out of 10 with 729 audience scores, Rotten Tomatoes 39% with 247 critic reviews 47% with 250,000+ audience scores, Roger Ebert 3 1/2*, Common Sense Media Jeffrey M. Anderson, age 13+ 2* out of 5*, 1* positive messages, sex, consumerism, drinking, drugs & smoking, 2* positive role models, 3 violence.

Title 9 2009

     In a world destroyed in a war between men and machines, a hand-stitched doll with the number 9 written on its back comes to life.  The world he has awakened to is frightening but he quickly learns that he is not alone and that there are others like him.  They also have a single digit written on their backs.  The first doll he encounters is 2 who tells him something about what happened to the world.  2 is also thrilled with the disk 9 is carrying.  It has three unique symbols on the front.  9 soon learns that the disk and some of the other dolls are prepared to die for the good of humankind.  They may be the last hope for man's salvation.

     This movie is carried along by a unique visual style and a great sense of its "place."  The sack-men and woman or dolls are refreshingly odd and actually funny to watch. The post-apocalyptic city is consistently beautiful and always has a feeling of danger.  9 is the youngest member of the group that represents the Scientist's humanity, big heartedness, thoughtfulness and sincerity.  He is very intelligent but he can make mistakes due to his natural curiosity.  He seeks the truth in the history of his creation and he wishes to know the real meaning of life.

     The basis for this film is an Indian Malayalam-language science fiction horror film written and directed by Jenuse Mohamed.  Violence and scary scenes are prevalent throughout with the main characters frequently battling killer robotic machines.  They are merciless as they pursue and in several cases, kill their rag doll like prey in frightening ways. The robots also make alarming noises and often pop up out of the nowhere.  This is an underrated animated movie and it received mixed reviews from critics.  Plus, it had a lukewarm box office run but has a large cult following.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

79 min, Animation directed and written by Shane Acker and written by Pamela Pettler and Ben Gluck with the voices of Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, Jennifer Connelly, Fred Tatasciore, Elijah Wood, Alan Oppenheimer, Tom Kane, Helen Wilson.

Note:  Imdb 7.1* out of 10* with 134,685 review, Roger Ebert 3*, Rotten Tomatoes 57% with 187 critic reviews 56% with 250.000+ audience scores, Metacritic 52 out of 100 with 34 critic reviews, 6.5 out of 10 with 99 user scores, Letterboxd 3.2* out of 5* with 157 fans, Amazon 4.7* out of 5* with 2,388 reviews.

Special Note:  This is the last theatrically released American animated film to be rated PG-13 by the MPAA up until the release of Isle of Dogs (2018) 9 years later.    Alan Oppenheimer plays the scientist responsible for the destruction of the world.  So, it seems fitting that he's the cousin of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the "Father of the Atomic Bomb.”  The marketing department planned to give the film a release date of September 9, 2009 (09/09/09).  The clock on the Notre Dame Church is stuck on the time 9:09.

Mistakes:  When 5's map blows away, it gets caught on a piece of wood but then blows further away when 5 and 9 approach it.  When 5 and 9 are in the cave, 7 knows that they are in there because she sees the map caught on the piece of wood.  Once 2 places a voice box into 9, the zipper remains open.  But, in the next shot 9's zipper is closed?  The following shot has the zipper open again?  9 is later shown zipping his zipper closed?  When the Seamstress is sewing 1, he falls and a coin falls off his hat.  In the full shot, 1's coin is back on his hat?  Before the Seamstress is attacking, there was a quick shot of 8.  His mouth was sewed so he couldn't scream for help.  Why didn't the Seamstress also sew 1's mouth closed?  

Jet Lag 2002

      At Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, a beautician is on her way to a new job in Mexico.  She accidentally meets a cook who is on his way back from America to Mexico.  Labor strikes, bad weather and pure bad luck cause the two of them to share a room overnight at the airport Hilton hotel.  Could it be possible that their initial mutual indifference and downright hostility turn into a one night stand or perhaps something more?

     Juliette Binoche and Jean Reno go a long way toward redeeming the artificiality of this concept with their nuanced and unsentimental performances.  Rose is maddeningly meticulous about her appearance and the camera studies her every move as she applies her cosmetic mask and fixes her hair.  But, if Rose's attention to surfaces implies an underlying superficiality, she also takes a bubbly and instinctive pleasure in life.  It's a measure of Juliette Binoche’s innate radiance that when her character finally appears without makeup, she is even more beautiful.  Despite the probable impossibility of this couple really getting together, I did like this movie.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)

91 min, Comedy directed and written by Daniele Thompson, also written by Christopher Thompson with Juliette Binoche, Jean Reno, Sergi Lopez, Scali Delpeyrat, Karine Belly, Raoul Billerey, Nadege Beausson-Diagne, Alice Taglioni, Jerome Keen Sebastien Lalanne, Michel Lepriol, Mbembo, Lucy Harrison.

Note:  Imdb 6.1* out of 10* with 5,755 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes 57% with 69 critic reviews 54% with 5,000+ audience scores, Roger Ebert 4.3* out of 5* with 222 ratings, Metacritic 53 out of 100 with 28 critic reviews 6.4 out of 10 with 11 user scores, 

Special Note:  Rose was named after Rosa Luxembourg, a Polish socialist activist who was murdered in 1919.  Juliette Binoche replaced Isabelle Adjani in the leading role.  For research, director/co-writer Daniele Thompson suggested to Juliette Binoche that she study Shirley MacLaine’s performance in The Apartment (1960).  

Mistake:  American Airlines does not fly to Munich from Paris?

The Rich Man’s Wife 1996 3*

      A woman married to a rich man finds out she has a bad prenuptial agreement with an even worse husband.  Over drinks with a stranger, she fantasizes about doing her husband in to void the prenup.  The stranger decides to turn this imagination into a reality much to the wife's surprise?

     This movie is a sleazy, direct-to-video psycho-thriller, inexplicably playing theaters under Disney's auspices?  Pretty Josie Potenza (Halle Berry) is unhappily married to a wealthy older man.  A chance encounter with a homicidal nut (Peter Greene) turns her life upside down?  He kills her husband and tries to blackmail her!!  The police begin to suspect that she murdered her old man for his money?  There is a silly last-minute twist that makes a mockery of everything that's gone before?  This little thriller delivers the unpretentious goods, gussying them up with some rather nice, tough-minded touches.  3* (This movie is OK)

95 min, Thriller directed and written by Amy Holden Jones with Halle Berry, Christopher McDonald, Peter Greene, Clive Owen, Frankie Faison, Charles Hallahan, Allan Rich, Clea Lewis, Loyda Ramos, William Crossett, Eddie Francis, Lou DiMaggio, Alexandra Hedison, John Paragon, Marc Shelton.

Note:  Imdb 5.2* out of 10* with 3,081 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes 13% with 15 critic reviews 38% with 2500+ audience scores, Roger Ebert 2 1/2*, Amazon 4.5* out of 5* with 275 ratings, 

Special Note:  In what would have been her big break, Gwenyth Paltrow originally auditioned for the lead role Josie but that eventually went to Halle.  Paltrow didn't get the part, because the director felt she wasn't convincing enough.  Halle Berry admitted on The Late Late Show with James Corden in the Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts segment that she knew the movie wasn't going to be very good during its production.  According to Cinematographer Haskell Wexler, after the test screening the ending was changed because "the bad guy at the end didn't die badly enough?"  Originally Halle Berry shot the guy, one bang and he died.  When the scene was done again, she shot him, kicked him, struck him with a hatchet so he fell back shattering a car windscreen before hitting the ground, then she stabbed him with a high heel!  Maybe this ending would be considered "overkill?"

Mistakes:  When Tony is being stalked by Cole, he stops at an ATM.  We see Cole's truck pass Tony's empty car and there are no vehicles in the background.  A few seconds later, we see the same shot of the empty car but now instead of being in front of Tony's car, Cole's truck is parked in a parking lot in the background of the shot.  In the garage scene, Josie shoots Cole several times.  In one shot, the pistol slide locks back indicating an empty magazine.  In the next shot, she shoots him again while he is on the ground.  When Josie and Cole are struggling in the tunnel at the park, Cole wrestles away Josie's revolver and fires it 3 times at some would-be rescuers.  Josie gets away and runs to the end of the tunnel.  Cole fires the gun at her another 7 times.  A total of 10 shots from a revolver holding 6 bullets?