"Invictus"... An exceptional film! A+
"Everybody's Fine"... A few funny and touching moments. C
I'd give it an A+ for cast and acting, an A- for story and script. The first half was great, very punchy and smart. The second half continued with important themes, but got a little drippy.
George Clooney was to die for, and the two female stars were smart and their characters were well written. They were fully developed characters, not just window dressing.—ridgeley 805 days agoReply
'Up in the Air'
Starring: George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga
Easily one of the year's best movies. I think you'll be hearing a lot of great things about this movie in the coming weeks. A+
Well, I was saved today from the Duplicity disaster of yesterday. Adventureland came to the rescue with a smart, charming, and funny comedy. Terrific performances all around, and a touching, feel-good coming-of-age movie that received a round of applause at the conclusion of the 3 pm screening.
—bobh 1036 days agoReply
Duplicity...
Yawn...
Blah, Blah, Blah...
Yawn...
Grade: D, for Don't bother and Dull
Saw Lymelife Friday night. A sometimes dark, disturbing, violent, charming, and even hilarious look at two suburban families dealing with everything from adolescent angst to unraveling marriages. Starring Alec Baldwin, Rory and Kieran Culkin, Emma Roberts, Jill Hennessy, Tim Hutton, and Cynthia Nixon. A uniformly strong cast. Not sure what I think about it two days after viewing. Some of it was wonderful, and some of it was just too disturbing.
We saw a pre-release screening of "Sunshine Cleaning" yesterday. The movie stars Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, with a great supporting cast. Both of us thought it was funny and touching. We overheard someone say they thought it was a nice "cable-type" movie, but nothing more than that. (Presumably he wasn't talking about a movie like the highly-acclaimed "The Girl in the Cafe" we recently saw on HBO). Anyway, we definitely recommend the movie. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt were very believable as two sisters dealing with past hurts, and making their way in the world via the crime scene clean-up business. Solid performances all around, but we especially enjoyed Clifton Collins, Jr. who played a clerk in a janitorial supply store.
I'd rather Defiance had been on cable, because then more people might have seen it, learned a little history. It's not a good enough picture for people to go out and pay for. How many WWII movies were there in 2008 that no one saw? Yes, better on TV.
Thanks for the 7 lbs update. I can skip it!.—ridgeley 1126 days agoReply
Just saw "Seven Pounds" and "Defiance". I just couldn't get into either film. Although there were a few nice moments, Will Smith's "Seven Pounds" just seemed forced and even bordered on the ridiculous at times, although a number of people in the audience were crying at the end. "Defiance", as a friend put it, was more like something you might see on a cable channel. Based on a true story, three brothers build a community in the woods as they battle against the Nazis and avenge the deaths of their loved ones. Some tense moments, and strong performances, but not riveting throughout. (**1/2)
"Milk" was written by Dustin Lance Black. I applaud you, Mr. Black, for telling a beautiful story about a true hero, Harvey Milk. I'm so happy you told this important and inspiring story. Let me say also (re your recent NPR interview) I'm happy you were able to overcome your Mormon upbringing and their teachings of intolerance and bigotry.
—bobh 1169 days agoReplyI agree Penn's performance was great, but the movie as a whole could use a pair of scissors. There was too much going on. They needed to focus only on the politics and the movement. That's when I was really wrapped up in the movie.
All the performances were good, and I'd recommend the movie on that.—ridgeley 1169 days agoReply
I thought "Milk" was terrific! The performances were uniformly good. I think I can safely say that Sean Penn will be nominated for an Oscar. Let's hope the 'Yes on 8' crowd sees this movie, and realizes the error of their bigoted ways.
—bobh 1170 days agoReply
Waiting to see "Milk". I heard a terrific interview on NPR with the screenwriter and I was so touched by his descriptions of growing up gay and Mormon.
Check out Kenneth Turan's review of 'Slumdog Millionaire'...
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-slumdog12-2008nov12,0,7349441.story
You've got to see this movie!—bobh 1180 days agoReplybobh, The problem with 99% of movies today is that they AREN'T linear. We are sent on a roller coaster ride, bobbing and weaving all over the place. Danny Boyle did a great job of it, but mostly we are left hanging upside down while the idiot teen at the controls is busy text messaging.
I honestly never thought about the time during Changeling. Towards the end of Slumdog, don't want to give anything away, but in one of its rounds, I did ponder when it was going to end.
If I had to vote, I'd give some acting awards to Slumdog, but Picture, Director, Art Direction to Changeling.—ridgeley 1175 days agoReply
'Ridgeley', I've been stewing about your comments for the past week! I have to say, I totally disagree with you...'Slumdog Millionaire' IS a better movie than 'Changeling', and I CAN compare the two movies. Danny Boyle's 'Slumdog' is a true masterpiece told brilliantly in a nonlinear way that we rarely see in movies. Sure, Clint knows how to tell a great story, and he tells it in a straightforward, satisfying manner. 'Slumdog Millionarire', on the other hand, is presented in such a way that you're sitting on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. You're left breathless from the pure joy you're feeling at the end of 'Slumdog'. Can you say that about 'Changeling'? 'Slumdog Milionaire' is a one-of-a-kind, breathtaking crowd pleaser that is sure to garner an Oscar nomination for Danny Boyle and his talented cast and crew!
—bobh 1176 days agoReply
You can't compare the two. They have entirely different themes, different styles. They were both engrossing, engaging and thoroughly satisfying. Changeling will appeal more to the older Academy audience, and Danny Boyle's Slumdog will attract slightly younger crowds.
—ridgeley 1182 days agoReply
All right, forget what I wrote about "The Changeling" in an earlier scrib
...SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE truly is the movie of the year!—bobh 1183 days agoReply
To the Scrubular universe...check your local movie listings and remember this movie title - " Slumdog Millionaire"...
It's an absolutely unforgettable movie!
We saw "W" and "Changeling" yesterday. We both thought the two movies were terrific, but it's Clint Eastwood's "Changeling" that really moved us. It's an absolutely riveting story, starring Angelina Jolie, that seemingly passes by in a flash, even though it runs two hours and twenty minutes. Based upon a true story involving a missing child (and so much more!), it has to be the movie of the year, at least up to this point in time. Check out the link below for the L.A. Times article that chronicles the real events that began in Los Angeles on March 10, 1928. An amazing story, and a truly extraordinary movie.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-changeling19-2008oct19,0,4208336,full.story
DGA - 10/11/08 - I just saw "What Just Happened", starring Robert De Niro, Catherine Keener, Sean Penn, Bruce Willis, John Turturro, Robin Wright Penn, Stanley Tucci, Michael Wincott, Kristen Stewart...Hey, with a cast like that, this has got to be the movie of the year, right? Well, not quite. Described as a "winningly sharp comedy about two weeks in the world of a middle-aged Hollywood producer" (De Niro), it never really took off, despite some funny moments, and that all-star cast.
DGA - 10/10/08 - Just saw "I've Loved You So Long", starring Kristin Scott Thomas, who is absolutely terrific, as is the entire cast. I thought it was very slow, but had some nice moments. We first meet Juliette, Thomas's character, when she is picked up at the airport by her much younger sister. Juliette has just been released from prison...
(In French with English subtitles)
DGA-10/04/08...saw 'Appaloosa', directed by, written by, and produced by Ed Harris, and co-starring Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger, and Jeremy Irons, among others. Talented cast, but too many slow moments in this story of the Old West set in 1882. I do have to say that I was about the only person in attendance who thought it was slow. I overheard many positive comments, including comparisons to Clint Eastwood's 'Unforgiven'...
We then saw 'Body of Lies' with Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, plus an all-star cast...a truly smart, riveting thriller, but be forwarned, there is strong violence including torture. Sure to be a hit for Warner Brothers. I do have to say that I thought Warner Bros. Pictures overdid it when they insisted we surrender all cell phones before entering the theater, and they even 'wanded' all of us. Offensive.