We're doomed.

Star Wars: Episode IV-A New Hope

I was enjoying Star Wars at cardio cinema this week and while I was running on the treadmill, I realized how long it had been since I'd even seen Star Wars. And it's good! So, so good! Star Wars was revolutionary for its time and will be revolutionary forever. Special effects and storytelling techniques made it a trailblazer and contributed to its icon status, along with casting and music.

Star Wars was soooooo well cast, especially with Harrison Ford as bad ass, charming space cowboy, Han Solo. He's charismatic and delivers those one liners like no other. Harrison Ford is an icon, a star. Carrie Fisher is simultaneously bold and sophisticated, she's not your typical princess. Mark Hamil, very very good as a whiny dreamer whose destiny finds him sooner than he thought. He's great at developing his character as the film progresses. Very natural and believable. And James Earl Jones...that voice. The voice says it all.

Viewers now are totally spoiled by special effects. If the latest action or sci fi/fantasy film's effects are not as good as the film that came out last week, we rip the effects apart. For its time, Star Wars' special effects were amazing. Everything looked pretty real, and it definitely amazed me as a kid. But Star Wars is timeless, and the special effects are a part of that timelessness. They are still quite mesmerizing. If I saw them in a film now, I wouldn't complain.

The story is great and the techniques used to tell the story are revolutionary. All the back story is seamlessly woven in. We meet these characters who have history and all this craziness has already taken place. Telling the story out of order was relatively new and just created intense intrigue without distracting from the film on the screen. It's too bad Lucas' writing talent didn't carry over to episode 1-3.

I don't know if I could call myself a fan girl, but I definitely geek out over some sci-fi and Star Wars is one of them. Great storytelling, acting, filming, etc. One of the best films ever made.

Mark Wahlberg in The Departed

First person to appear twice! Seriously, never has a character whose every other word is a curse word sounded so poetic. And he saves the day. Enough said. Put Mark Wahlberg in everything.


Netflix

The Happening-Yes, this movie is 100% absolute crap. But with the plot that it has...it's like a car wreck. I just can't not look.
The Golden Child-Recommended by someone with similar taste to mine, even though I dislike Eddie Murphy.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-Netflix Instant. Must read the book. Must see the movie.

This life came so close to never happening.

25th Hour

Spike Lee has made some pretty powerful films and 25th Hour packs one of the biggest, most powerful emotional punches in my opinion. This film about drug dealer Monty's (Edward Norton) last day of freedom before a seven year prison stint is a masterpiece of human emotion and a gorgeous love letter to New York City.

The performances in 25th Hour are superb, beginning with Edward Norton. He brings a confidence but overpowering vulnerability to the role. He's a good, smart guy who does bad things; you don't want to feel sorry for him, especially in the scene where you see him brush off a man he sold to, but Norton makes you feel sympathy. His "Fuck You" scene is so earth shattering and it takes a truly gifted actor to deliver it. He blames every person he can think of for what happened to him, until he realizes he only has himself to blame. Along with Norton's stellar performance is Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Monty's friend Jacob. His awkwardness is spot on.

Barry Pepper adds to the film's amazing cast. He too brings confidence and vulnerability to his role as a friend of Monty's. His honesty is brutal. His final scene in the film is utterly devastating but he and Norton play together brilliantly. Finally, as Monty's father, the always amazing Brian Cox continues to be always amazing. The female representatives, Anna Paquin and Rosario Dawson, round out this perfectly cast film.

Spike Lee and writer David Benioff worked together so well. Neither could function without the other. Benioff wrote a beautiful story and Lee brought it to life. Furthermore, the use of a post 9/11 New York further adds to the story's theme of making use of what little time we have. Lee did not merely make mention of post 9/11 New York, he thrust us right into the middle of it, with Pepper's character's apartment overlooking Ground Zero. I like the Lee did not shy away from these powerful and potentially controversial imagery. This is a part of New York now, and New York is a character in this film.

Another brilliant aspect of 25th Hour is the relationship between Monty and his dog, Doyle. They are so similar; kind but with bite and steadfastly loyal and protective. The film's opening scene between the two gives great insight into Monty as a person. Doyle is a symbol of Monty, and the way Monty looks and is at the end of the film is exactly how Doyle began. Hopefully Monty will have the same future Doyle was given.

25th Hour has such a strong emotional core and such unbelievable heart. The performances, the script, the direction, everything comes together so beautifully it moves me to tears. 25th Hour is about as perfect as a film can get.

Jamie Lee Curtis in Freaky Friday

We sometimes think of our parents as so uncool and out of touch that they couldn't possibly be us. Well, Jamie Lee Curtis playing a mom who changes bodies with her teenage daughter is certainly an exception. She's totally believable as a teenager trapped in the body of an adult. Everything is very natural. Her mannerisms and behavior is true to teenage form and hilarious, especially when she's a tad over dramatic. I would love to know how she prepared for this role. She was great.

Netflix

Alice in Wonderland-Missed it.
Up in the Air-Love it.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (every season)-Netflix Instant. Time I watched all the seasons and finally see how it ends.

When the world slips you a Jeffrey, you stroke the furry wall.

Get Him to The Greek

I hadn't seen a movie in the theaters since Sex & the City 2, an experience which clearly scarred me, so I wanted the next film I saw to be enjoyable, something that wouldn't waste my time and money with. I made a good choice with Get Him to the Greek. This "sequel" to Forgetting Sarah Marshall is funny and surprisingly heartwarming.

Russell Brand created such a memorable character in rocker Aldous Snow in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, it was great to see him take center stage. Russell Brand is hilarious and very talented;I'd really like to see him succeed in America. Everything move he makes and every word that comes out of his mouth is comedy. I always enjoy Jonah Hill and though he's still as funny as ever, his role is a bit different for him. Instead of being a cocky (yet hilarious) son-of-a-bitch, he's a less confident good guy. It's nice to see him slowly venturing into trying something new (hint hint Michael Cera). P. Diddy was even enjoyable. He had some of the film's best one-liners.

The humor is fairly constant. I left throughout most of the movie and at practically every joke. These laughs weren't side splitting, but lots of giggles and smiles. Some of the jokes & scenes dragged, causing the moments to loose some humor. But still, laughs all around.

Even further, the film is a great buddy comedy. The relationship that emerges between Brand and Hill's character is quite sweet. They support and look after each other, in the most traditional and unusual ways. It's wonderful to seeing a life-long friendship emerge from these guy's rock-n-roll shenanigans.

The one point that reaaallllllyyy bothered me was the lack of acknowledgement that Hill and Brand's characters had met in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Hill played a waiter at the Hawaiian resort Brand stayed at and the two had several encounters. There's a cameo by actress Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) and Snow remembering their trysts but no acknowledgement that Brand and Hill met, not by either character. Maybe Hill's character was supposed to be completely different, I don't know. It bothered me.

If you want to go see a feel good comedy, Get Him to the Greek is excellent. It's no The Hangover, but definitely on the level of I Love You, Man.

Steve Buschemi in Paris, je t'aime

There are so many great actors and great segments in Paris, je t'aime, but Steve Buschemi in the Coen Brothers' piece is one of the finer moments. He never talks; it's all in his physicality and reactions. Don't get me wrong, Buschemi is brilliant and can do wonders with his voice and lines, but he does just as well (maybe better) with no words. He's played a lot of memorable characters and while this is one of the least known, it's definitely one of the best.

Netflix

Chloe-Great cast.
An Education-Love, love, love. Must see again until I can see my girl Carey Mulligan in something else.
Doctor Who-Most of my Netflix Instant queue is dominated by TV. This is one show I'd love to watch.

Don't point that gun at him. He's an unpaid intern.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Almost all of Wes Anderson's work is amazing (the exception being The Darjeeling Limited). It's really hard for me to rank his movies in order, but I might have to put The Life Aquatic at the top of my list. It combines great elements of Anderson's previous work and creates a beautiful and heartfelt comedy.

This film is incredibly well cast and boasts some of Hollywood's best and most versatile talents. Murray is top notch as Zissou, our guide through the film. His timing and delivery is superb and he creates one of his best characters. Willem Dafoe yet again shines, and shows the audience how much of an impact he can make with a character, no matter how big or small. Owen Wilson gives an understated and heartfelt performance as Zissou's newly discovered son. I've always found Wilson talented and perfectly capable of doing roles outside of comedy. Cate Blanchett is obviously amazing. The woman is an icon.

The Life Aquatic incorporates minor CGI which adds so much to the film. The Life Aquatic is an adult comedy and deals with some fairly adult themes. The CGI adds a level of color, imagination and playfulness to the comedy. The ocean is fairly mysterious and scary, so to make colorful sea creatures relaxes the viewer. Furthermore, the colorful sea creatures add light to the growing darkness and complexity that is Zissou's life.

One of my all time favorite scenes in any movie is in The Life Aquatic. The scene where Zissou and company encounter the Jaguar Shark is just breathtaking. This has been Zissou's goal and he has just lost an important crew member, and before him, his family, friends, and rivals is this beautiful shark. With Sigur Ros playing in the background, Zissou realizes everything he's gained and lost throughout his latest voyage. Bill Murray absolutely nails it, he's able to contain himself while giving us the emotional stress of everything that has happened up to this point. Everything just comes together to make the perfect scene.

The script is quirky and the humor is dry, a typical Anderson script. But that's what makes Anderson a modern day auteur. He creates unique and challenging characters and puts them in difficult situations. And we the audience get to enjoy them reacting. The Life Aquatic is no different. Zissou and his crew of one-of-a-kind characters get into ridiculous situations, what with robbing Zissou's rival and getting attacked by pirates. The Life Aquatic fits perfectly in the Anderson library.


Paul Bettany in A Knight's Tale

I love A Knight's Tale and Paul Bettany is one of the biggest reasons. Playing real life author Geoffrey Chaucer, Bettany brings the laughs to A Knight's Tale. His banter with Alan Tudyk is hysterical and his nurturing relationship with Heath Ledger is heartwarming. Plus his showmanship skills are through the roof. Bettany adds so much to this cute comedy.




Netflix

Invictus-The only movie I wanted to see last fall/winter that I didn't get to see.
Vanilla Sky-I've heard mixed reviews of this one. Though I dislike Tom Cruise, I enjoy Cameron Crowe. Plus anything's better than Elizabethtown.
Daniel Deronda-Netflix Instant. Some BBC made for TV movie with Hugh Dancy.

Once upon a time, there was a fisherman.

Ondine

I was really nervous I would miss Neil Jordan's latest in theaters. But thanks to the powers of On Demand and a night in with your roommate, I was able to see Ondine, a film about Syracuse (Colin Farrell) the fisherman and the mysterious woman he catches in his net, Ondine.

The film has a natural heart that some fairy tales create artificially. The love and respect Jordan has for the Irish countryside and fishing villages is strongly conveyed; lush, green landscapes, sweeping views of the Irish Sea, and the tightened shots inside the small, perhaps slightly claustrophobic town. Though the sky is gray, this landscape is not dull or dreary.

Adding to the film's heart are its two strongest performances; Colin Farrell and Alison Barry as Syracuse's young daughter, Annie. Farrell shows a sensitivity we rarely see from him. His performance is very subtle and sweet. His interactions with Barry are very natural. His smile speaks volumes. His interactions with Stephen Rea as a priest brought out a subtle humor in Ondine.

Alison Barry is utterly mesmerizing. Her imagination is as big as her heart. She's your typical wise beyond her years little girl, suffering from a devastating ailment (kidney failure). She creates a magical, special world, and the characters are lucky enough to live in it. Her performance reminds me of early Dakota Fanning, just now so "she's basically an adult and it's scary." Alicja Bachleda was also good as Ondine.

The film mixes fairy tale and reality seamlessly. The music, scored by Sigur Ros member Kjartan Sveinsson and featuring Sigur Ros songs is absolutely beautiful. The music is very dream-like, maybe something you'd hear in a fairytale. Ondine's twist is absolutely believable and does not take away from the rest of the movie.

My one complaint about Ondine is it's hard to understand the dialogue at times. The thick Irish accents and slang, and lots of quiet, close talking scenes makes it easy to miss words and phrases. But having to strain at times to understand dialogue is worth it. Ondine is a wonderful and poetic Irish fairy tale.

Devon Gummersall in My So-Called Life

I've been rewatching this '90s series, as it's available in it's entirety on Hulu. My So-Called Life is still good and has several good performances, but Devon Gummersall as nerdy Brian Krakow is by far the best. He perfectly captures the anguish of being a socially awkward teenage boy. The joy, pain, and fear in his eyes whenever he interacts with the girl of his dreams, his tendency to over-achieve, nervousness around almost anyone...spot on. His facial expressions and physicality are all amazing. You can't help but always feel for him, even when he does and says cruel things.

Netflix

The Road-Got bad reviews, still wanna see it.
Broken Embraces-Almodovar's latest.
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days-Netflix Instant. I think it won the Palme d'or at Cannes a few years ago.

Yeah, what a day.

Children of Men

The apocalypse is always a compelling film topic and Children of Men's twist is very believable, which makes it so scary. This is great filmmaking from beginning to end. Alfonso Curaon creates a realistic and horrifying world with his lens, and gets a phenomenal performance out of Clive Owen as Theo, a man living in a bleak future where people cannot conceive children.

This is one of Clive Owen's best performances. He dirties himself up (literally) but still maintains his rugged good looks. He provides a bit of jaded humor in the beginning in this bleak future, but as time goes on he becomes more and more likable, as dedicates himself to his goal. He makes a magnificent shift to passive and kind of hopeless Theo to dedicated fighter Theo.

Julianne Moore, though her presence is brief, is nonetheless amazing as usual. Michael Caine is wonderful as an eccentric, pot smoking hippie. Caine is usually so prim, proper, and dignified, it's great to see him sink his teeth into something new. Truly a talent.

Though this film takes place in the future, the film's design seems to be signaling the present. The security forces and "refugee camps" look like something out of Bosnia or Africa. There's not an in your face abundance of futuristic technology saying the film is taking place twenty years from now. That adds to Children of Men's eeriness and sense of urgency. This story seems very possible, like something that could happen next month and the realism of the plot is due in large part to the set design and art direction.

Furthermore, the props in the mise-en-scene are wonderful. There's such a strong attention to detail. All the symbolic graffiti, and the "pigs flying" in the background of one scene...brilliant.

Though the two continuous shot scenes are brilliant, the most powerful moments occur when Owen leads himself, his charge, Kee, and her baby out of a building. Chaos is erupting around them until everyone fighting and hiding hears the baby's crying. Hands reach out to touch the Godsend, shooting ceases and paths are made for Theo, Kee, and the baby. The hope these cries bring graces the faces of all around; I basically stopped breathing. The peace is only momentary and the shooting quickly resumes when Theo, Kee, and the baby are away, but those few moments where all that was heard are the baby's cries are breathtaking. Without the possibility of children, there is literally no future. That's the reality these people have been living in for twenty years. Never has a baby's cries been so beautiful.

Children of Men is something that stays with viewers long after the credits have rolled. Not to be missed.

Kathy Bates in Misery

She is like the bunny in Monty Python and the Holy Grail; sweet and cute but evil and monstrous. People who are big fans of something worry about crossing the line between admiration and obsession, and Bates' character is a classic example of going leaps and bounds beyond the line. She does almost everything so innocently, genuinely believing she's doing the right thing, which is always really scary to me. She makes the whole experience for the audience claustrophobic and leaves us on edge. Bates always makes an impact on the film's she's in with her larger than life portrayals and Misery is certainly no exception. Creepy, creepy, creepy.

Netflix

The Kid Stays in the Picture-Just finished this book (Robert Evans' autobiography) and I loved it, so I must see the documentary.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus-I haven't exactly heard good things but it's something I need to try to watch.
The Maid-Netflix Instant. Supposed to be a funny and poignant.

The Real Housewives of Abu Dhabi

Sex and the City 2

God, this movie. I saw the first one, hated it, and vowed to skip the second one. But wanting to spend time with friends brought me to this sequel. If I'd skipped it, I honestly would be wondering about it. That said, I'd tell anyone to skip it.

The plot picks up two years after the first one. Charlotte and Harry are raising their two daughters with the help of a nanny who's a bra less beauty. Miranda and Steve are together, and Miranda is being treated horribly at her job, which she promptly quits. Carrie and Big are in the "in between phase of marriage, between wild sex and a baby," (Carrie's words not mine). Samantha is still loves sex, still kinda of slutty.

I found this sequel to be narratively more tolerable than the first for the sole reason that there was less whining. That tells me that the whining and bitching in the first movie had to be beyond abysmal, because there was almost nothing narratively stimulating about Sex and the City 2.

This movie is one giant magazine ad, as my friend Claire astutely stated. There are beautiful, bright, splashy clothes that will catch a viewers eye. The interior decorating is also beautiful, bright and splashy; there were some beautiful pieces of furniture and great paint jobs. The locales are gorgeous. The Abu Dhabi resort and beach was lovely. But between these pages of clothes, locales, and furniture is a whole lot of nothing...two and a half hours of nothing. The subplots for each woman is barely a plot. Then they vacation in Abu Dhabi. Carrie runs into Aiden...minor drama that could've been averted. Then they go home because Samantha disrespects Middle Eastern culture. A whole lot of nothing? Yep.

This sequel is far shallow and materialistic than the first. There's lots of stuff and a focus on the stuff. Each woman gets their own car and butler in Abu Dhabi. Charlotte freaks out when her child gets paint on her white vintage designer pants (Why are you wearing white vintage designer pants when baking with two young children?) . Furthermore, Charlotte, sobbing to Miranda, seemingly asks the Gods how it's even possible for women without nannies to raise children? Being a mother, with a nanny, is so unbelievably hard. Infuriating? Yes. Charlotte, the world's smallest violin is playing for you in your Upper East Side multi-million dollar apartment.

Not only is their behavior at home annoying, but the women's behavior in Abu Dhabi is downright insulting. Yes the culture is patriarchal and oppressive towards women and conservative in their thinking of sex. But it's not our place, as an audience in a Hollywood comedy no less, to make insulting statements and judgements. Samantha, cover up! Don't wave condoms in the marketplace! The scene with the Abu Dhabi women in the backroom...I have no words.

One needs to keep the movies and the show separate. They cannot be grouped together. The show was intelligent, funny and sometimes insightful. The movies are cheesy, boring, and entirely too long.

Hayden Christensen in Shattered Glass

One of two good Christensen roles. Christensen brings a desperation, smarmy-ness and vulnerability to the role. He even gains audience sympathy as a deceitful journalist while simultaneously being creepy. While Peter Sarsgaard was leaps and bounds better, Christensen really holds his own. This movie proves that Christensen has some talent, he just needs the right story and director to bring it out of him.


Netflix

Top Gun-Never seen it. I dunno if I'll like it.
The Object of My Affection-I don't know why I've always wanted to see this romantic comedy.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?-Netflix Instant. Classic