Monthly Archives: December 2009

Not nearly a great animation or movie. TV level quality, not cinema.

Honestly I went to this because TS1 wanted to see it but for a romantic comedy I quite enjoyed myself. Director Anne Fletcher follows up the wonderful 27 Dresses with this story of an oddball couple who find the love they think they’re faking is instead quite real. Ryan Reynolds is usually awesome and Sandra Bullock is better than average; have to say that Oscar Nunez’s Ramon character annoyed me but delighted TS1.

Outstanding in all respects. Pixar know how to do these, they don’t rush to get more product and the result is artistic and commercial at the same time. So far The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air are getting the critics’ awards for best picture but I’d really like to see Up get serious Academy Award consideration.

Redford rounded up a big crew to take aim at the Bush Administration, with Tom Cruise delivering the real message through the mouth of his hot young rising star Republican senator character. But is it a film worth watching as more than a propaganda piece? Not really.

Don’t waste your time on the movie, just play the video game original. Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Ludicris, Chris O’Donnell, Donal Logue are al wasted, though Amaury Nolasco is pretty interesting as the pure evil character.

Fun, somewhat darkly comic take on different kinds of romances, an American take almost of on (the admittedly superior) Love, Actually. Director Ken Kwapis has a hit and miss track record but most everything comes together here with a strong underlying construct and good cast including Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Justin Long, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Connolly, Kevin Connolly, Drew Barrymore, Bradley Cooper, a chunky but hot Scarlett Johansson and nice cameos from Kris Kristofferson and Bill Bochtrup. Kwapis could have cut 10 minutes, mostly of the Kevin Connolly/Drew Barrymore story and the girls in office scenes, and had a stronger end result.

Despite the big budget and big name cast (Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachael MacAdams, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, Robin Wright Penn) this was another pointless Hollywood remake of a better British TV miniseries.

You want Mike Judge to make a great movie, after all the years of funny TV he’s put out but aside from the cult classic Office Space he just hasn’t pulled it off. He comes closer here than in Idiocracy but just never gets over the hump. Good outings from Jason Bateman, JK Simmons, Ben Affleck and Gene Simmons, less so from Mila Kunis.

Funny though not as good as the Coen brothers’ best comedies. Clooney either really gave up the ego or is so in love with himself he can’t conceive of anyone not loving him no matter his looks. Great ensemble cast with Frances McDormand, JK Simmons, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, John Malkovich and of course Brad Pitt (a brainless stud, who thought that one up? ha ha ha).

Tarantino had me right up until the final sequence, where he just went nuts. Brad Pitt was wonderful, as was Christoph Waltz as the Nazi colonel you could hate more than the real thing. If only this was a docudrama instead of a fantasy!