Monthly Wrap-Up June 2012

Can't believe July is almost over. Where has the summer gone? Well, you know where I spend a lot of my time: the movies. Here is the Monthly Wrap-up for June. Enjoy!

Reviews:
Rock of Ages
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
Snow White and the Huntsman
Darling Companion
Men in Black 3

Reviews on Expats Post:
Prometheus
Seeking a Friend For the End of the World
The Intouchables

Previews:
Ruby Sparks
Seeking a Friend For the End of the World
Dogs Lie
Safety Not Guaranteed
Reboot
Hysteria

Extras:
Movies released the year I was born...
Happy Father's Day
Monthly Wrap-Up May 2012
Monthly Wrap-up April 2012

The Academy Awards

Well today is one of my holidays: The Academy Awards. I know many don't like the competition aspect of this show, and I will admit I really don't care who wins the golden statue. The Academy Awards, to me, is about celebrating my favorite art form. MOVIES! (and I do kind of like seeing what people wear....) You all know I love movies and I can watch nearly anything that honors it. Usually I only watch the Golden Globes, The Independent Spirit Awards and The Oscars - but I have been known to watch The Golden Raspberry Awards, The SAG Awards, Critic's Choice Awards, and I sneak in a glimpse of MTV movie awards and The Scream Awards. Yes, I am a film junkie.

However, since I can remember I have watched every Academy Awards show, and I always stay up until the very end to see which film wins Best Picture. Usually I do not even come close to seeing every film that is nominated for an award. However, this year I think I got really close. So I thought I would list some of the nominations here for you all; and I am too antsy to watch and review a film while waiting, not so patiently, for the red-carpet festivities to begin.

And the Oscar goes to....

Up for Best Picture:
The Descendants
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredible Close
The Help
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Tree of Life
The Artist
The War Horse

Up for Best Actor in a Leading Role:
George Clooney - The Descendants
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
Demain Bichir - A Better Life
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Solider Spy
Jean Dujardin - The Artist

Up for Best Actress in a Leading Role:
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn

Up for Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn


Up for Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Octavia Spencer - The Help
Berenice Bejo - The Artist
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs

I do plan on seeing and review most of the films that have been nominated that I haven't seen yet.

Enjoy The Academy Awards tonight and see you all at the movies!

 Click on posters below:
 

Forget Me Not

Directed by Alexander Holt & Lance Roehrig, Quicksilver Films, 2010

Starring: Tobias Menzies, Genevieve O'Reilly and Gemma Jones

Genre: Romance

Question: Do you believe you can fall in love with someone in 24 hours? I do, or maybe I have just seen too many movies. Either way, I think it can happen and Forget Me Not may show you how.

A typical Sunday afternoon in my house involves laundry. One thing I detest so I have to balance it out with something I love. Do I have to tell you what that is? I grabbed my laptop and headed towards the back of my home - a sanctuary from the rest of the house but also where the laundry room is located. First load in, headphones on and I hit play on Netflix Instant Play queue with Forget Me Not.


I didn't know anything about this film except what IMDb said about it in its summary:

"Love Happens. When you least expect it. Forget Me Not is a moving, modern day love story set over twenty-four hours against a stunning London backdrop."

London?! YAY!! I lived in London for a short time and miss it nearly every single day so anything that has "a stunning London backdrop" in it, count me in. Plus, I had just completed watching a foreign mafia film that I did not like and not sure why, so a romance was the best genre to counteract the effects of the other. And it did.

The movie starts off in a London pub with a musician singing and strumming his guitar. The female bartender serves up drinks to the locals watching him out of the corner of her eye or when she has a break from serving the drunk in front of her. His melancholy tune permeates the surroundings but you are too busy waiting for what comes next to take notice. His gig soon ends; he goes home and takes a bath. Then he starts to do something that makes your heart tighten, especially if you have ever been in that state of mind. He tries again but realizes he requires a drink first. Back to the pub. Okay, I am giving a play by play of the movie - I am stopping that now.

At this point you are completely lost as to what is going on, and you desire to find the answers to all your "whys?" But in the back of your mind you really don't want to find out. Luckily the story then has you following the bartender and the musician as they walk through London on their way to a party after an unforeseen run-in with one of the pub patrons. During the course of this walk the two strangers begin to talk and share stories about each other. This is where I really started to drift head, or heart, first into the story...and then...buzzz...pause film...damn, laundry! Second load in. Play.

Where was I? Oh yeah, the strangers continue on through the night walking through the streets of London, revealing stories about themselves that you might not think they would. However, it seems so comfortable that you don't question it. Yet something is held back by both. Understandably. What would make any two people, complete strangers, open up and share personal stories? That is hard to say but perhaps when you are lonely, scared or unable to recall a happy time, a stranger might be the best person to open up to. And they might just surprise you with being the right person for what you need.

Okay, I am giving way too much away on this one. What is wrong with me? Perhaps it's the laundry...anyway.

Dawn soon arrives and a trip to visit someone starts to bring the story closer to its climax. A revelation from one/a reminder to another surfaces, but as the audience member you are still in the dark. Where the love story goes from here was expected but then one stranger finally reveals all about themselves. And in one of the hardest but most understandable speeches it all made sense - the beginning, the middle and the finally, the conclusion. Two people who didn't know each other yesterday, and might not remember later, fall in love because they always have today.

So if you are in the mood for a decent romance - check out Forget Me Not. 


My favorite thing: That I didn't even notice I was doing laundry.

My least favorite thing: That I don't have plans to visit London anytime soon.

Rating: R
Length: 93 minutes

Review: 7 out of 10




Click on film poster for film:
 

Small Town Saturday Night

Directed and written by Ryan Craig, Perfect Weekend, 2010.

Starring: Chris Pine, Shawn Christian, John Hawkes, Bre Blair, Octavia Spencer, and Lin Shaye.

Genre: Drama

Question: What draws you to watch a specific movie? Could it be the director, a certain genre or story-line or is it an actor and their skill, perhaps? For me it ranges, but I do have some standards: a recommendation by someone, seeing a good, or even a bad, review makes me consider watching it and then sometimes it is the poster. I did study art history and a visually appealing film poster can really catch my interest.

Today I watched an indie film called, Small Town Saturday Night. Why did I choose to watch this one today? Honestly, I have seen a lot of Chris Pine's movies and he has proved his acting chops to me....okay, okay... I will admit one of the reasons I had it in my Netflix instant playlist was for Chris Pine and those eyes. Plus, this wasn't a horror or sadistic story-line (my last two reviews).

Small Town Saturday Night is about a country singer (Chris Pine), who lives in a small town and is about to move to Nashville. Actually, it sounded relaxing and it was an indie film - something I love to support especially after seeing this was made after Chris Pine's smash hit Star Trek. That scores points in my book.

Unfortunately, this film just did not deliver a huge surprise as many of the other independent movies that I have stumbled upon on Netflix. It kept my interest but the story was...how do I put this...uneventful. The story takes place over one day in a small town called Prospect. I kind of thought it would take place at night but not until the very end does the sun takes its rest. Anyway, it showed a slice of American life, which some may get and some may not.

Rhett Ryan (Chris Pine) has one more day at the gas station before his final gig at the local bar before him and his girlfriend (Bre Blair) and her daughter make the big move. Then you are introduced to other locals in the town - specifically the local deputy (Shawn Christian), the ex-husband of Rhett Ryan's girlfriend, who waits for his brother, Donnie (John Hawkes) coming home from his stint in prison. For the next hour or so you witness Donnie, Rhett, Donnie's brother and father and countless others interact. Sometimes it made for a cohesive story and sometimes it didn't. If you have ever lived in a small town, I assumed this would show a fairly typical summer day but I kept waiting for more.

Did I get it? More, I mean. Well, there were a couple of semi-intense scenes with one scene where Rhett (Chris Pine) and his girlfriend have an intense conversation. However, by that point, I had lost my patience with the story but trudged on. One more scene with Donnie (John Hawkes) finally got the blood pumping in this tale but ended with no fanfare. My guess is that Small Town Saturday Night was going for realism and it delivered. I am just not sure it was a reality that interested me. Oh well.

One small little surprise did happen. Not with the story but there was a scene between Rhett and his father and I kept thinking, "WOW, they really do look alike - great casting." So I looked it up. It was a real father and son. Don't ask me why, but I enjoy knowing small trivial things like this; and if you look up Chris Pine's father you will know him. You may not know his name but you will recognize him. I am pretty sure.

So do I recommend Small Town Saturday Night? Maybe. It really depends what you are in the mood for, I suppose. But if you want to see Chris Pine strumming a guitar and actually singing, check it out.

My favorite part: Chris Pine playing guitar.

My least favorite part: One scene where you witness neglected and abused children playing in a front yard.

Rating: R
Length:  94 minutes

Review: 4 out of 10


P.S. If you want to see an indie film that is really good that stars Chris Pine, might I recommend Bottle Shock? Great film.

Click on film poster below to view films:
 

One year and counting...

WOW! I can't believe a year ago today I started reviewing movies. And what a year it's been.

Many may not know that this was just supposed to be an experiment - a learning tool for me. I was not planning on becoming a movie reviewer at all. In fact I wanted to change careers and become a screenwriter ....

Wait, perhaps I should back up a bit...Nearly three years ago I went though a pretty scary medical issue and I had time to really think about my life as I was recovering. Soon I became restless and unsatisfied with the status quo, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what to do about it. So I started writing. Something inside me was screaming to get out; I just didn't know what yet but writing helped immensely.

In fact, I fell in love with the practice of thinking and then formulating those thoughts into a cohesive sentence, paragraph, etc... It began with writing a book about my own experiences and then it evolved into screenwriting and creating stories. However, I was in the middle of my third screenplay and got stuck on how to continue it. It's not surprising. I wrote my first two screenplays without having gone to film school or picking up some sort of manual on how to write a screenplay. I did end up working with a professional screenwriter to help me with my first two scripts, but I felt like I finally got the hang of it when I started on "No One", the third script.

Alas, writer's block hit me and it hit me hard. Instead of getting frustrated staring at the screen waiting for the words to come, I went downstairs to watch a movie and relax. Also, I read somewhere that if you want to learn how to write screenplays you must read a lot of scripts and watch a lot of movies. The latter was easy for me to accomplish.

As the ending credits started it hit me, "Why not review movies to learn the craft of screenwriting better?" I bolted up from my horizontal position and nearly hit my head with the palm of my hand like the old V8 commercials. Brilliant idea! I ran to my laptop and started creating a new blog site...but what to call it? I hadn't a clue so I just started writing and the words came out faster than I could type. My thoughts about movies and my love for them poured out. I shocked myself on how quickly I wrote and about the thoughts I actually had about movies. It was almost like a confessional. For years, decades actually, I kept my passion for movies to myself. Well, that day, I informed the world who I really was...

"I am a movie buff, lover, and fan…whatever you want to call it. I LOVE MOVIES! I know I am not alone here but there may be a few things that sets me apart from other fans and why I decided to start this blog...

FIRST: I am tired of the previews telling me the whole story before I get a chance to see the movie..."rest of Why This Blog? (12/29/10).


By the time I wrote that third sentence, everything I thought I was going to do with the rest of my life changed. I just didn't know it yet. (Okay, this might make a good story for a script...hmmm)


Although I was long-winded with my first blog post I decided that I wanted to keep my reviews short and without a lot of detail about the movie's story. A few hours later I posted my first review: Moon. I wrote a brief paragraph or two because I knew I was not a professional writer let alone a trained movie reviewer. Watching the movie, researching it and then writing about it made me really think about not only the structure of how a screenplay was written but how the whole movie came together. It was exhilarating to really think about a movie and then voice my opinion about them. I couldn't wait to watch another and talk about it. 


Was anyone listening (reading)? I had a few page views in the beginning and even received a comment on my first post - albeit from anonymous. However, the lack of views and comments didn't phase me. This blog was for me in the beginning. I was allowing myself, for the first time ever, to be open and honest about my greatest passion and I was happy.


By the 12th review, The Social Network, I supplied some personal information to show I had some biased feelings regarding the story. It didn't cross my mind that you shouldn't do that and no one told me differently. So without realizing it I started to put myself into more reviews. And by mid-January the reviews became longer, more personal and a structure formed into what finally evolved to the format that I have now. (Question, Favorite things, Review rating, etc...) 


I am unclear on when the movie reviews took over as a career possibility, but it was quick for I went searching across the internet in order to social network as much as possible. I joined mom blogs, networking blogger sites and I started following and befriending other bloggers. By that Spring I joined an online newspaper and was asked to give my thoughts on a soon-to-be launched movie website's blog. Over the next few months I quickly discovered that watching movies and reviewing them made me happier than I have ever been in my entire life. I found my proverbial calling and people seem to respond. That shocked the heck out of me. Why? Well, if you read my reviews you know I don't write the typical kind. If you haven't read any go ahead and read a few and come back...I'll wait.


Conversational writing...that's what many have called my style. I just sort of sit and pretend that someone is sitting with me while I describe the movie with an aspect or two on why I liked a film or not. Again, no one showed me how to do this, and I will confess that I hardly ever read reviews prior to my venture. Most reviews and previews share too much, in my opinion; and one of the best parts of the movie experience, for me, is the discovery of the story with little or no information about the film. That is my intention with my reviews - entice but don't reveal too much. And I suppose people like that because some of my reviews now appear on IMDb and have been featured on Rotten Tomatoes.


So a year has passed and I have decided this is what I want to do for the rest of my life: watch and review movies. Well, now I not only review movies but I started adding other kinds of posts: soundtracks, previews I think do a good job and random thoughts on movies. The evolution of my blog keeps going...Also, I am now involved with another online newspaper that officially launches early next year; and this is something I am VERY proud of because of the people involved in it. 


Have I picked up screenwriting again?  Umm...no, but I do think about ideas that pop in my head from time to time. I may even write another script someday. However, for now, this makes me happy and this year I have vowed I am doing everything I can to stay that way. 


One last point before I head off to watch another film...if it weren't for this little adventure I fell backwards into, I would've skipped over a lot of films. Luckily, I have fans and friends who share what they like; and I now have a deep desire to see as many movies as possible. Expanding your horizons on any subject matter is always a treat and filled with surprises. Here are a few of the "surprise" films that I was fortunate enough to view this past year:


The Escapist - The discovery of a certain actor who is now one of my favorites - Brian Cox
(I ended up watching The Good Heart and Red because of this movie and he was fantastic in both)
Never Let Me Go - One of the most profound movies I've ever watched.
127 Hours - Best acting I have seen on film to date.
Midnight in Paris - A treat through and through. I will own this movie.
Flashbacks of a Fool - It affected me and that's all I will say about that.
Fright Night - Not so much for the movie but the experience was one I will never forget.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - My first foreign film review.
The Perfect Host - One of the biggest surprises so far.
Love - A great movie by a first time director. I enjoy discovering newcomers to this industry now.

I want to thank everyone who has supported me over this past year. This truly has been one of the best years of my life because I now feel like I am doing what I was put on this earth to do. It is a very empowering feeling. And even though I started this out for me, I now do it for you all.

Also, I hope you find who you really are, what makes you truly happy and pursue it because it is all worth it - trust me!

Now I am off to watch a movie.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Directed by Brad Bird, Paramount Pictures, 2011

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Tom Wilkinson and Simon Pegg.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller

Question: Anyone sick and tired of sequels? Yeah, me too. However, I just saw Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol and may have to eat my words about this particular sequel. This one was pretty good!

I must confess I was actually planning on viewing this movie for one reason and one reason only - Simon Pegg. Yes, you heard that right. Although Tom Cruise makes pretty decent movies I really went to see Ghost Protocol for one of the supporting actors. This is the honest truth. Sure he was in Mission: Impossible 3 but not enough, I say, so I didn't think he would be in the next installment.

Indulge me for a moment....About six months ago I saw a preview for this one. Well, that's not true. I "heard" the preview as I was sitting in the theatre shielding my eyes as I normally do during previews. Immediately I thought I would skip the film until I heard Simon Pegg's voice and quickly looked at the screen. YAY! There is just something about him that cracks me up and pulls me to see everything he is in. It started with Shaun of the Dead (and I don't even like Zombie movies) and I never looked back. In fact, Simon Pegg was one of the first people I started following on Twitter; and even when I was sick of Twitter awhile back I couldn't cancel my account because his tweets give me the giggles....okay, enough...I will talk about the movie.

Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol was a thrill ride from beginning to end. I am not kidding. So for you adrenaline junkies out there - go to the theatre now. You don't even need to finish reading this review....really, go, go now...Oh wait, see it in IMAX. This is the type of film that requires the biggest and best screening available. There is one part that even made me a little queasy due to a certain death-defying act performed by Mr. Cruise because you feel like you are right there within the scene. (How did his "people" allow him to go through something like that?)  Now I suppose if you have a fear of heights, you might want to cover your eyes but try not to during this scene. It really was one of the most spectacular stunts I have EVER seen on film. This will not be the same on the TV screen, iPad or laptop, trust me.

Since this is a thriller I won't go into any detail about the story. However, I will say Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team were given a mission, that they chose to accept, and you are along for the thrill of a lifetime. Also, Simon Pegg (yes, I am mentioning him again) was the great comic relief in this movie, which was needed because your heart pounds so much that you'll require a break from the tension.

The fourth installment of this series got back to what I enjoyed from the first Mission: Impossible: action, adventure, thriller and no romance. Okay, ladies you might be mad at me for saying that, but there was not a romance story line connected to this one and I was relieved. Well, maybe there was a little one. The second and third installment went too much into a lovey-dovey tale for me with Thandie Newton's character in MI2 and Ethan Hunt's wife in MI3. Now don't get me wrong. I LOVE a good romance but these movies didn't need to cram in another genre to make it watchable for the female population.

I really don't want to say any more about Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol except to say that if you are gadget nut you will enjoy this movie - a lot. I believe even Q and James Bond would have a difficult time containing their excitement at the amount of cool electronics in this film. There that's it. No more. Now go enjoy this film.

My favorite thing: Simon Pegg - really! He was in this a lot more and he better be in the next one.

My least favorite thing: That I actually got a little teary-eyed at the very end. What? You will just have to see why.


Rating: PG-13
Length: 126 minutes

Review: 8 out of 10

Click of film posters below to watch instantly:

The Adjustment Bureau

Directed (and written) by George Nolfi, Universal Pictures, 2011.

Starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Michael Kelly, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, and Terrance Stamp.

Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Question: Did you ever get that feeling when you meet someone that the two of you were meant to be together? You can't explain it but once you meet them it all makes sense. It is chance or is it destiny? Who knows?

I received The Adjustment Bureau in the mail from Netflix about a month ago and forgot I had it until recently. Finally watched it yesterday and I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I wasn't expecting to - can't really say why. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are usually in pretty decent films, but something about the previews just sort of turned me off. Nonetheless, me being me (of course) I put it on my queue when it was out in the theatres, forgot about the preview and then had some time to kill yesterday.

Look at the genre list above (from IMDb) and really think about it. What a combination of styles to mix together. I sort of wasn't expecting the romance to be such a large part of it. In fact, I would consider this a romance above all; and a really good one. Perhaps it's the romantic in me that nudged me to really enjoy the story. Tales about two people who are supposed to be together, for whatever reason and obstacles keep popping up and pulling them apart; however, they keep finding themselves reconnecting...those stories just get me.

Matt Damon plays a young congressman from New York who "happens" to meet a woman (Emily Blunt) in a bathroom; they chat for a few moments and sparks fly immediately. Now I won't say what happens next with the romance part but the Sci-Fi part comes in and takes over the story after that.

Here is where you can start a debate on if there is such a thing as destiny or if it is all up to chance. The "couple", let's call them, meet again and apparently they weren't supposed to according to a certain group of individuals. Why are these people so interested in this couple? I am not going to tell you that. However, this group apparently helps "guide" others towards paths that they should be on and when they veer off they come in to put them back on track. However, chance has a way of getting these two together or was it destiny?

Who are these people that want to control people's paths? Well, the film-makers tried to explain who they are. You'll see.

Of course as the The Adjustment Bureau continues the lovers find themselves in and out of each other lives. When they were together (Matt Damon and Emily Blunt) I found myself smiling watching them. Their relationship was effortless and I feel most people would kill for that these days. So I was big rooter for them to get together and stay together. What obstacles did they have; were they able to overcome them, and did they finally make it? Well, you know my answer to those questions....

One thing I will tell you about this film, I really enjoyed watching Matt Damon's character and his persistence to be with the one he loved. It was truly heartwarming. Yeah, yeah, I am a girl and all it takes is for us to see a guy drop everything for a girl. We fall for that storyline every...single...time. And I fell for it again in The Adjustment Bureau. Why did he fight so hard for her? Well, there is the obvious. He loves her - geesh, come on people. But there was more and I will give you a little hint...he knew about something that she did not. I have a feeling if she did she would have acted the same way...okay, may have just revealed a little too much but I felt like sharing today.

Also, I think both male and females movie fans will like this one. The Adjustment Bureau covers both a guy flick and chick flick quite well.

Interesting trivia - this movie was based on the short story by Philip K. Dick. He passed away in 1982 but here are a few his other stories that eventually became films: Minority Report, Total Recall and Blade Runner.

My favorite thing: Well, I will say it again - Matt Damon's character's conviction to be with her.

My least favorite: It was a bit predictable, but then again I see A LOT of movies so I will let that one slide.

Rating: PG-13
Length: 106 minutes

Review: 6 out of 10

Click on film poster below to watch instantly:

Preview: The Cabin in the Woods

I know what you are thinking, "Why is she posting a horror movie preview?" To be honest with you, I am not quite sure. I haven't written a review in a few days and I went looking for another film to watch this week. This film popped out - okay, Chris Hemsworth is in....and I was..ummm...curious. However, as I was watching the preview I actually became interested in this - well, somewhat...you'll see.

Will I see this film?  It's 50/50 right now, but I do realize a lot of you guys like horror films and Joss Whedon wrote the screenplay. Don't know who he is? Well, he wrote the screenplays for Toy Story, Serenity and Speed. Not a bad resume. Plus, the other screenwriter is also the director on this film: Drew Goddard. He directed Cloverfield. Due out in April 2012.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Movie review: Cabin in the Woods

Rabbit Hole

Directed by John Cameron Mitchell, Olympus Pictures, 2010. Starring Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Sandra Oh and Dianne Wiest.

Genre: Drama

Question: When you are sad, do you hate it when people tell you how to feel and act so you are no longer sad?

Rabbit Hole, starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart, takes on a family's tragedy and it's aftermath with how the mother (Nicole Kidman) copes with the death of her 4 year-old son. Not a light subject but I was thoroughly engrossed with this woman's plight and how she handled it all. I found it fascinating that everyone around her kept telling her how to feel and react to get over "it". Her reactions, to the constant barrage of advice, was not something I have seen on film much. For that alone I recommend this film.

I cannot relate to the specific tragedy this woman (couple) must go through but everyone has been sad at one time or another. We have all had things in our lives that take us on a course down a dark road of uncertainty. Clawing back to the light to what feels normal and safe is difficult especially when friends abandon you, others try to relate their experiences to yours and all you want to do is curl up in a ball and be left alone. The film shows that not everyone handles other's grief well or with respect sometimes.

Does Rabbit Hole give any sort of advice on how to handle the overwhelming sadness, emptiness or helplessness? You will have to see for yourself, but it did show that everyone deals with their pain and suffering differently. How and when they begin to get past their loss is as individual as the person. Not only had Nicole Kidman's character have something bad happen to her world but their were other characters in Rabbit Hole that also conveyed how people deal with consequences that are thrust upon them.

Rabbit Hole was a tender and poignant film. Nicole Kidman with Aaron Eckhart did a fantastic job at exposing the underbelly of how a couple handles the tragic death of their child. Anger, resentment and the search for closeness with others in order to feel something other than pain are all present in this story. There were times of humor and a cathartic need to take a large sigh during some scenes. But above all, the overwhelming sadness that had taken over the grieving mother (Nicole Kidman) and then her pursuit to be left alone to discover her own path out of her darkness was awe-inspiring. Kidman outdid herself on keeping the subject matter palpable and relatable even if you have never lost a child.

Does this film have a happy ending? Well, I won't say but the journey that was exposed was worth watching because how authentic the story was portrayed.

My favorite thing: Nicole Kidman's performance.

My least favorite thing: Can't really think of anything at the moment.


Rating: PG-13
Length: 91 minutes

Review: 8 out of 10

Click on film poster below to watch instantly:
 

The Next Three Days

Directed (and written) by Paul Haggis, Lionsgate, 2010. Starring Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Daniel Stern and Brian Dennehy.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance

Question: What would you do for the person you loved if they were in trouble?  To what length would you go to rescue them?

This morning I decided to watch my favorite kind of movie - a thriller. I know what it says above but this was a thriller through-and-through. The Next Three Days was sitting in my Netflix Instant Play queue for a while now and something made me choose this today. Russell Crowe stars in this film and Paul Haggis wrote and directed The Next Three Days. I think they both have made a decent movie or two before, right? Oh, I know - they are a couple of the best in their field and that is why I chose it.

Russell Crowe plays John Brennan, a devoted husband and father, whose wife is convicted and sent to prison for murdering her boss. The movie is not about proving her innocence or guilt or another elaborate courtroom drama. This film takes place after her appeals have been exhausted and the husband can no longer take that his wife, the mother of his child, will be in prison for the rest of her life. So he realizes he must do something to help her. No more of the story - you should know by now I don't like to divulge too much information especially when it is this type of story.

I will admit I wasn't expecting to like The Next Three Days and I really can't say why. It was just a hunch. Well, my hunch was wrong. From the first few minutes to the last heart-pounding thirty minutes this story kept me on the edge of my seat. I hate to use that expression because I really wasn't on the edge of my seat, but I did feel anxious and intrigued with the story. There were a couple of overly-dramatic details but I'll let it slide.

Russell Crowe really is a phenomenal actor and proved yet again he can take on any role. The love he had for his wife, the extreme desire to help and the overwhelming fear he held was front and center with his performance. Elizabeth Banks played his wife and, although I usually see her in comedic roles, she did a decent job in The Next Three Days.

One thing I found odd in this film was the lack or how little certain actors were used: Liam Neeson, Brian Dennehy and Daniel Stern. A couple of the them were only in one scene while one had very little dialogue. It was perplexing to see why these veteran actors were used so little but it wasn't my movie to cast. Just a detail to point out in The Next Three Days

I apologize for the short review but I hate to spoil stories and feel if I say more I will. Enjoy the movie.

My favorite thing: That I really was unsure of what the truth was regarding the murder.

My least favorite: One scene (over-dramatic) that brought the story out of credibility for a moment or two.

Rating: PG-13
Length: 122 minutes

Review: 6 out of 10

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My Favorite Christmas Movies - Part 4

Well, we have come to the end of the line. Here are my final two favorite Christmas movies of all time. Up until now there hasn't been any sort of order and with the next one the same goes; however, the final film is one of my ALL TIME favorite movies and resides up in the top 5 on that list. So I am saving my favorite holiday movie for last.

The Holiday (2006) Starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black. This film is the most recent one added to the list since it only came out 5 years ago. This was another surprise rent one day and not a theatre attended movie. It's a romantic comedy that takes a twist on finding the right person. Two women, Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, both have relationship issues and decide to switch houses for the holidays. One lives in England and one lives in America. While on their holiday escape they meet a couple of guys worth looking into (Jack Black and Jude Law). That's all I will say about that since I have feeling many of you haven't seen this film, but I know you girls out there can probably relate to these girls' dilemmas. My favorite part of this movie is Kate Winslet's character's friendship with her elderly neighbor - a former Hollywood screenwriter. Here is one of the best scenes from The Holiday....oh, and may I just say I would go to England in a heartbeat for Christmas...then again, the other goes to LA...oh, that would be a tough decision for me.


Drum-roll, please......my favorite Christmas movie of all time is:

While You Were Sleeping (1995) Starring Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher and Peter Boyle. I know what you are thinking. 'What?! REALLY?! Are you nuts?' And my only response is emphatically YES, I am crazy but I just love this movie!! I know I am in the minority here when it comes to this one, but when I first saw this 15 years ago I fell in love with it. There was just something about the romance story, the main character, played by Sandra Bullock, and the combination of the "family" dynamic in While You Were Sleeping that just spoke to me. It's not the best film ever produced; It didn't win any Oscars but Sandra Bullock was nominated for a Golden Globe; And most of you probably never saw it. Don't worry I have seen it enough for all of you. I honestly can't tell you how many times I have seen it but I am on my second DVD - and watch it at least 5 times a year. I am crazy, I know, but this is my go to movie whenever I need a pick-me-up, in the mood for a little romance or when I just want to relax. My kids watch this movie with me and make fun of me at how much I smile while I am watching it. Most of you won't see what I see in this film and I am okay with that. We all have our movies that speak to us and no one else. And While You Were Sleeping is mine and I am not embarrassed to say it anymore :-)

I didn't post a scene from my favorite holiday film but here is a link to the first 9 minutes on YouTube. The entire movie is on there. If you want to see just how nuts I am, take a gander. While You Were Sleeping

So, there you have it. My top 11 favorite Christmas movies of all time. I know there are a few that are missing on here that you may think I need to list, but I had to weed it down to this. There are more Christmas movies I enjoy, but when I want to get in the holiday spirit these are the first that leap to mind.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

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Hugo

 

Directed by Martin Scorsese, GK Films, 2011. Starring Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Lee, Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley.

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family.


Question: What gives you purpose and makes you feel like you fit into the world? Well, we all have something, at least we should. Think about it.

This is the message at the heart of Hugo and I think a pretty darn good one. It shouldn't matter if you are 12 or 72 years-old, we all need to feel like we belong, someplace where we know we serve a purpose or what's the meaning of it all. Yes, it's a pretty deep, philosophical thought for a movie that I thought was geared towards kids primarily. However, my kids enjoyed the movie and I hope somewhere deep inside they understood what the movie was trying to convey.

The story begins with a boy, an orphan, who lives in a train station in Paris in the 1930's. You find out why he is there with a few flashbacks but really the story revolves around another story line which is revealed much later in the film. The boy's name is Hugo and his adventure is to find his purpose or to make sure his purpose is real, but how he goes about that will remain a mystery in this review.

There was a great surprise, well for me at least, as Hugo's story unfolded. I really want to say more but, as usual, don't want to spoil it for you. However, on the whole I found the storytelling to be a bit on the dull side. Not sure what happened with it but Hugo ran slow. Even with the part of the story line I really liked, it didn't suck me in as I think it could have.

The movie was in 3D and the beginning was absolutely stunning with its effects. When the adventure part of this story was front and center the 3D was awesome. However, the majority of the movie was more of a drama and the 3D lost its luster; and soon I found it annoying to have to wear the glasses. I am not a huge fan of 3D movies, by the way, so for you fans out there I am positive you will enjoy that part of the movie.

On a bright note: The boy who played Hugo was delightful, and he has the bluest eyes I have ever seen on a human being. I almost think they may have been digitally enhanced. Anyway, he did a great job on the whole, even though there were parts where the film-makers showed children behaving more like adults than children, and that happened here. I still think he did a good job as the lead character of a Scorsese film.

Most children should enjoy this film and I recommend you take them to see Hugo. For adults, sadly, this was not one of Scorsese greatest films.

My favorite part: The discovery of the message in the film. There is this great scene, on a Paris bridge with Notre Dame in the background, between the 2 children. A great line was spoken by Hugo. A great line!

My least favorite: Sacha Baron Cohen, I am afraid to say. His character was too much of a caricature for me.


Rating: PG
Length: 127 minutes


Review: 6 out of 10

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Artwork courtesy of IMDb - no copyright infringement intended