eastern promises

David Cronenberg delivers on gore, good characters, and and last minute plot twists. Viggo Mortensen is scary as a Russian. I had to look away in the violent parts, and I couldn't understand everything the Russians said, but this is a good movie.

atonement

the first part of this movie is brilliant - an afternoon and evening that builds to a life-changing event, beautifully designed and excellently acted. the second part of the movie is boring and awful - an overwrought depiction of war and regret, glamorized and unbelievable. and of course, the book is excellent.

there will be blood

there are many wonderful things about this movie. the score is incredible, and I don't usually notice them one way or the other. it's an epic tale with only five major characters. the first twenty minutes have no dialogue. it's beautifully shot and catapults you right into the early 1900s. it drags a bit, but it delivers all you could want from a truly escapist, big screen movie experience. I especially enjoyed watching it on a huge New York screen in a theatre with a balcony - old school!

the savages

Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman are great as siblings living lives filled with disappointments and mistakes that ultimately aren't all that bad. I found the whole exploration of life in a nursing home, especially the race and class issues between residents and staff, very interesting.

this christmas

it's always interesting to watch a dysfunctional family gather for the holidays, but in this case, the 'secrets' were all too obvious and the characters too flat to persuade you to care. only Delroy Lindo brings some subtlety to his role, and Chris Brown does some nice serenading. there is also an inexplicably long scene of all the characters dancing that doesn't have anything to do with the rest of the movie. so feel free to leave before that part's over. although I thought it was kind of the best part of the movie.

I'm not there

after the almost traditional, linear Far From Heaven, Todd Haynes returns to his experimental roots to create this collage of ideas about Bob Dylan. I have the feeling it is meant for hardcore Dylan fans - having no reference for the events portrayed, I could only wonder if I was missing something, or it was just missing. I enjoyed watching the vignettes, but two and a half hours without a story line can be a bit much, unless you're prepared. Cate Blanchett is indeed brilliant but none of the other Dylans stand out. Charlotte Gainsbourg is fantastic as always and it's always lovely to see Julianne Moore.

juno

this movie is cute, intelligent, funny and very well written - the characters are all simple but believable and sometimes surprising. Ellen Page deserves all her recent critical acclaim, Jennifer Garner plays annoying perfectly, J.K. Simmons is an awesome cool dad, and the Arrested Development boys are perfectly cast. what a welcome relief from all the heavy, gory movies out this year.

no country for old men

this movie is breathaking for the first 50 minutes, interesting for the next 40, and completely disappointing for the last 20. it's also really violent. it made me want to read the book.

margot at the wedding

Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Jack Black star...and it's not a comedy. in fact, it's not nearly as funny as The Squid and the Whale, Baumbach's last movie, but for a quirky, independent, family drama, it's pretty good. I particularly enjoyed the way Nicole Kidman constantly insulted her 14 year old child, but he loved her anyway. I might have missed the 'exposure of dark family secrets' but I thought the love/hate sisterly rivalry was dead on.

before the devil knows you're dead

this is a very intense drama about what family can do to each other in desperation. it's nice to see a non-linear but suspenseful thriller that actually manages to surprise and disturb. Marisa Tomei is looking incredibly hot and Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke are convincing as two fuck-up brothers, one prettier than the other.

I am legend

this movie was way more scary and violent than I thought it would be. Will Smith is good, but it's almost all action and disgusting zombie creatures. with that said, the most unbelievable part of the script is where a woman insists that she's never heard of Bob Marley. not buying it.

lars and the real girl

this is an interesting, sad drama-comedy that actually makes you believe that a blow up doll has a personality. great performances from Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, and Paul Schneider. it's understated, and it totally works.

august rush

this is a very fantastical, sappy movie about a child prodigy looking for the parents who gave him up eleven years ago. he figures all he has to do is play music and they will hear it and find him....that's how it works, right? unless that evil Robin Williams stops him by trying to make a lot of money off his talent. I hate when people in cowboy hats and red sideburns prey on young geniuses.

the gospel

interesting movie about two childhood friends studying to be ministers - one of them grows up to be an R & B superstar, the other to take over their church - and he's the bad guy. Boris Kodjoe is ridiculously hot and Idris Elba doesn't have to work too hard to project sinisterness. the music is really good, the writing's kind of cliched, but the faith-based setting makes it different enough to keep your attention.

first snow

interesting thriller/drama about a salesman who hears from a fortune teller that he'll only be alive until the first snow. Guy Pearce is always great and Piper Perabo is always cute, even when she's not really acting.

live free or die hard

I have no idea what this title means but this movie delivers plenty of action, even though some of it looks pretty fake. you also get one liners, mismatched 'buddies' fighting the bad guys, and white, domestic terrorists, for a change. it is what it is, and I mean that in a good way.

the namesake

this movie is beautiful and sad and manages to weave the stories of two generations into each other without seeming too far-reaching. the writing is subtle and realistic, and the sex scenes are kind of hot. I haven't read the book yet, but I will.

the assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford

this movie is very long but the acting is excellent and a slow suspense builds throughout the film. Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck are wonderfully subtle in the two title roles, and I also particularly enjoyed Paul Schneider's performance. casting Mary Louise Parker as a quiet, decent housewife after Weeds, however, is just ridiculous. the movie speeds up considerably in the last 10 minutes, but of course, I won't give anything away.

dan in real life

cute, contained movie taking place over one thanksgiving with a heartwarmingly large and supportive family and steve carrell not being as annoying as he could have been. I hoped for a better part for amy ryan, one of my new favorites, but alas she got lost in the general family melee. forgettable but entertaining.