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- DirectorRachel Lee GoldenbergStarsBen SyderGareth David-LloydDominic KeatingSherlock Holmes and Watson are on the trail of a criminal and scientific mastermind who seems to control monsters and creations which defy belief.Quite the pitiful storyline, action, and acting. Was this made for children?
DATE: 2012-01-06 - DirectorDoug LimanStarsNaomi WattsSean PennSonya DavisonCIA operative Valerie Plame discovers her identity is allegedly leaked by the government as payback for an op-ed article her husband wrote criticizing the Bush administration.A true story is always quite interesting, though in this case the writers had a point to make and I wonder how much they might have embellished the story to make themselves look good. Sean Penn, in any event, didn't impress with his over-acted character.
DATE: 2012-01-06 - DirectorGeorge HickenlooperStarsKevin SpaceyBarry PepperJon LovitzA hot shot Washington DC lobbyist and his protégé go down hard as their schemes to peddle influence lead to corruption and murder.Amusing, "Wall Street" type story. It's most likely to have more truth than it should have. Americans might feel embarrassed by this aspect of our society. Watch if for the laughs, but then shed a tear for decency in society.
DATE: 2012-01-07 - DirectorJane CampionStarsKerry FoxAlexia KeoghKaren FergussonJanet Frame was a brilliant child who, as a teen, was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. Explore Janet's discovery of the world and her life in Europe as her books are published to acclaim.Very human drama of an innocent, warm woman. Her life doesn't follow the script that anyone would ask to have as their own, but those challenges never stop her from bouncing back to pursue life to the fullest extent she can. Another "down under" film that is strong in the category of "character development," the reason I so often cherrish foreign films, particularly those of Australia.
DATE: 2012-01-07 - DirectorThomas CarterStarsRobert Sean LeonardChristian BaleFrank WhaleyA group of teens adores forbidden music in Nazi Germany just before the outbreak of World War II.Watch it for the desire for freedom it portrays in the desire to dance. Be sure to enjoy the progression of the movie and not wait to be moved at the ending.
DATE: 2012-01-07 - DirectorStephen DaldryStarsMeryl StreepNicole KidmanJulianne MooreThe story of how the novel "Mrs. Dalloway" affects three generations of women, all of whom, in one way or another, have had to deal with suicide in their lives.Wow! This is the best-woven tale I have seen in more years (decades?) than I can remember. It is seminal for me in that regard, like when I read the brilliantly-crafted "QB VII" by Leon Uris as a teenager. I felt like I knew these characters, or at least know people in my life like them. Meryl is terrific, Claire Danes role is little more than a cameo, Nicole Kidman doesn't overdue her role as Virginia Woolf, and Julianne Moore is the most captivating of the supporting actors.
DATE: 2012-01-07 - DirectorChristopher MenaulStarsHelen MirrenEric StoltzJulie DelpyThe rather eccentric (especially in her thinking) author of "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" becomes involved with a much younger, and married man, to the dismay of those close to her.Ayn Rand is a hot topic in 2011-2012, which is why this movie caught my attention. It was interesting because I didn't know her story. This film isn't the story of "Atlas Shrugged," but that's fine with me. Enjoy this look into life transitioning out of the last age of relative innocence, the 1950s.
DATE: 2012-01-08 - DirectorOliver StoneStarsShia LaBeoufMichael DouglasCarey MulliganNow out of prison but still disgraced by his peers, Gordon Gekko works his future son-in-law, an idealistic stock broker, when he sees an opportunity to take down a Wall Street enemy and rebuild his empire.Sometimes it's better when history is fiction, thus it was better to witness this tale of the 2008 financial crisis without having to endure an editorial stance such is taken by the film "Inside Job." A good reprise of the Gordon Gecko character by Michael Douglas, and a decent supporting case.
DATE: 2012-01-28 - DirectorCharles FergusonStarsMatt DamonGylfi ZoegaAndri Snær MagnasonTakes a closer look at what brought about the 2008 financial meltdown.This docupinion provides one view of the 2008 financial crisis. Surprisingly, governmental entities like FNM and FMC were rarely, if ever, mentioned as being complicit in the events of that year or those leading to the eventual catastrophe. It isn't a bad idea to hear this viewpoint, but I suggest other reading to provide a broader perspective. There's no mistaking that the big banks were aggregious in their behavior - - it's just that the story doesn't start and end there.
DATE: 2012-02-15 - DirectorMenahem GolanStarsCrispin GloverVanessa RedgraveJohn HurtA modern day adaptation of Dostoyevsky's classic novel about a young student who is forever haunted by the murder he has committed.First you have to get past the setting being Moscow rather than St. Petersburg. While there is no chance for the film to delve the depths of one of the great novels in literature, it fashions the story well, with excellent character portrayals. My main criticism would be that the actors appear much more endearing than I would have expected (except for Dunya, who most certainly would be a charmer). But then, I recognize that the setting was modern Russia, quite different from the timeframe of the novel itself.
DATE:2012-03-05 - DirectorPeter McDonaldStarsAndrew BennettScott GrahamMichael McElhattonIreland 1977. Eleven-year-old Damian Lynch (Scott Graham) is called in at the last moment to serve as an altar boy at an important mass in his local parish. Following his last appearance as an altar boy when he knocked Father O'Toole off the altar, Damien is serving a 3 month ban from his only passion in life...football. To make matters worse, Damian's team, Liverpool FC, are playing in their first European cup final in two weeks time. Damien's father (Michael McElhatton) offers him a reprieve and crucially a chance to see the European cup final if he serves the mass correctly. Damien now faces a choice: either conform to the status quo or never watch his beloved Liverpool play again...Short film that shows each of us can make a comeback from a bad situation and can find the motivation to perform, or have it provided for them. Go out and win this one ... for yourself!
DATE: 2012-03-07 - DirectorMax ZähleStarsWotan Wilke MöhringJulia RichterKrish GuptaA German couple adopts in Kolkata an Indian orphan. Their child suddenly disappears and they realize that they are part of the problem.Short. What would YOU do in that situation? Your hopes, dreams, and plans become unglued; do you still hold to them? Do you follow the love in your heart, the voice in your head, the laws that pertain, or the goodness that is expected of you?
DATE: 2012-03-07 - DirectorTerry GeorgeStarsAnthony BrophyConleth HillPacky LeeThe story of Joe and Paddy, whose childhood friendship is shattered by the troubles in Northern Ireland. Twenty five years later they are reunited.Short. We can believe something for a long, long, time that just is not true. So can the other guy. There isn't one answer until you know all the facts, and then you learn that maybe it doesn't really matter - - you just go on with life ... or back to it!
DATE: 2012-03-07 - DirectorHallvar WitzøStarsEdvard HægstadIngrid VikenTerje RanesEverybody will die one day, but 70-year-old Oskar will die in 6 days. He is now ready to forgive his brother for a long-ago disagreement. Will he reach his brother, whom he believes live on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, before it is too late?Short. When seagulls slip from the sky is it like frogs falling with the rain (in "Magnolia"). If you want death to leave you laughing, this is a film for you. If you hope to make amends before it's too late, this is a film for you. If you have just 25 minutes for fun, this is defintely the film for you!
DATE: 2012-03-07 - DirectorAndrew BowlerStarsMichael NathansonJohn Conor BrookeEmilea WilsonA neurotic inventor creates a time machine and gets lost traveling around yesterday.Short. Did you ever want to BE that guy and NOT BE that guy? Especially true if you sometimes found yourself being like that guy! This American short not only held its own against the foreign competitors in the 2011 short films Oscar category, but it shined.
2012-03-07 - DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsRobert De NiroJean RenoNatascha McElhoneA freelancing former U.S. Intelligence Agent tries to track down a mysterious package that is wanted by the Irish and the Russians."Then you had to go and do THAT!" Regretably, a movie full of intrigue degenerates into a 30-minute car chase scene. Congrats to the director for making someone's list of the 30 best car chases in movies, but you lost the story for a long stretch there, and you lost me.
2012-04-12 - DirectorRandall WallaceStarsDiane LaneJohn MalkovichMargo MartindalePenny Chenery Tweedy and colleagues guide her long-shot but precocious stallion to set, in 1973, the unbeaten record for winning the Triple Crown.The natural question would seem to be, "Is Secretariat or Seabiscuit the better last-decade horse movie?" Secretariat has the better lead "actor," a magnificent horse. Stop: don't compare the two, enjoy them both! This one is both a terrific story of the animal and an engaging story of a few people. A true story that seems every bit believeable, enjoyable, and wonderful to watch. You'll root for the personalities and the pony.
2012-04-27 - DirectorMichael AlmereydaStarsEthan HawkeKyle MacLachlanDiane VenoraModern-day New York City adaptation of Shakespeare's immortal story about Hamlet's plight to avenge his father's murder.This movie attempts the impossible, so I give it credit for that. The tried-and-true fans of Shakespeare won't like the modern setting or the modern actors portraying Shakespearean roles. And fans of movies watched just for entertainment won't like the difficult true-to-the-bard dialogue, which was indeed a struggle. Perhaps the use of closed captioning would have been wise for me, but I enjoyed the challenge and appreciated the acting. There were quirks and odditiies in the story line as the production attempted to bridge the gap between modern day and the true time of Hamlet. Don't be distracted by that because it's a good effort, well acted by most, and, by golly, it's Shakespeare!
2012-04-30 - DirectorRowdy HerringtonStarsJim CaviezelClaire ForlaniJeremy NorthamJim Caviezel stars as golf legend Bobby Jones, the icon who retired from competition at the tender age of 28.Always fun to get the backstory on a tale that often flutters past the ears of any golfer over the years. A decent movie, but would it have been just as good as a documentary? No, because most people won't watch a doc. The golfer is legendary, but the story is not as good as Francis Ouimet's tale in "The Greatest Game Ever Played," so watch that one if you have a quota to watch one golfer flick.
2012-05-01 - DirectorDanny LeinerStarsMaggie GyllenhaalSeth GilliamJim ParsonsThe Great New Wonderful weaves five stories against the backdrop of an anxious and uncertain post-9-11 New York City.Sum it up: "Life goes on." It isn't always exciting, and neither is this film. I wasn't there, in New York City, after 9/11. I think one had to be there to feel the challenge of life immediately after that most difficult time. If you want a peek into the period, this gives you that.
2012-03-20 - DirectorJames FrawleyStarsTyne DalySharon GlessJames NaughtonCagney, now a Lieutenant, re-teams with Lacey, who has left the force, to search for a cache of missing firearms.My rating on this movie diverges from the normal way I would do so. I figure if you want to watch C&L, then you'll like this as well as you did the TV series. If you don't care to see them again, you won't care about anyone's rating, including mine. This captures the flavor of the past, extends it to the future, expands the story line and characters, yet stays true to the things a fan would want to see from these two.
2012-03-22 - DirectorMaya GallusStarsDeborah HayJordyn NegriSevern ThompsonLike I said for the short film, Time Freak, "did you ever want to BE that gal and NOT be that gal?" We all want to be individuals in our own image, but are compelled to spend time being the person others want us to be. Mazo fought that dichotomy, tried to draw a hard line between the two people, and apparently did so quite well. She had an enormous following, many well-received novels, and one true confidant. Would you want that life? Mazo plunged her tomes from Canada into every English-speaking corner of the world while keeping both feet firmly out of those intersections, living HER life in HER world. Very interesting documentary in many ways: the person, the actors' portrayals, the attempts to explore dark alleys, and the resurrection of a should-not-be-forgotten rags-to-riches story that is a most-compelling mystery. Credit Maya Gallus for a terrific piece on a difficult subject.
2012-05-02 - DirectorSean McNamaraStarsAnnaSophia RobbDennis QuaidHelen HuntBethany Hamilton, a professional surfer, loses her left arm in a shark attack. Unwilling to pay attention to the gravity of her situation, Bethany decides to get back into the ocean and surf again.True story where the human drama is paramount, while there is just enough drama to keep things from being just a story. There are some movies you watch and wonder, "what if that was me?" Quite simply, I wouldn't have made it through that ordeal. Good one.
2012-04-08 - DirectorNicole HolofcenerStarsCatherine KeenerOliver PlattRebecca HallIn New York City, a husband and wife butt heads with the granddaughters of the elderly woman who lives in the apartment the couple owns.Focus! Who and what is the subject matter here? The summary implies one person, but the movie flits from character to character, seemingly unsure about which story to portray. Amanda Peet is a real character in this, but shunted to the side. Her sister is the most compelling subject, but never given the full light of the stage. The husband and daughter of the main character (as implied by the summary) are both given roles of their own, more than developing the story of the wife and mother. I think I just talked myself into lowering the rating on this one.
2012-04-18 - DirectorMichael HanekeStarsDaniel AuteuilJuliette BinocheMaurice BénichouA married couple is terrorized by a series of surveillance videotapes left on their front porch.Subtitled, but that's okay. Very original storyline, very easy to follow, and perhaps very real. Don't we wonder if our past will come back to haunt us? Would we address it head-on? The main character does, but is unable or unwilling to share the past with his wife. Is "the past" really "the past" or do we have an obligation to it?
2012-05-01