I've loved you so long

absorbing drama about a doctor reintegrating into society after fifteen years in prison. Kristin Scott Thomas looks devastatingly pale throughout and Lise Segur is brilliant as a precocious, adopted, Vietnamese daughter.

quantum of solace

typical Bond, with boring action sequences but a mildly interesting plot. Ukranian Olga Kurylenko plays a very convincing Bolivian, or maybe I was just blinded by her beauty.

four christmases

a little disappointing in light of the fact that Seth Gordon, who created The King of Kong, directed, but otherwise exactly what you would expect - attractive leads, a few jokes, and absolutely nothing that sticks.

synechdoche, new york

I loved this thoroughly depressing, funny epic about a hypochondriac theatre director who spends his middle to old age staging every episode of his life in a grand play that the public never sees. Catherine Keener and Jennifer Jason Leigh are in fine form, and Germans are mocked. prepare for confusion and metaphor.

empire falls

Richard Russo adapted his own Pulitzer-prize winning novel into this HBO mini-series, but left all the major revelations to the narrator, breaking the cardinal rule of 'show don't tell.' Helen Hunt has never been more annoying. Aidan Quinn and William Fichtner are good, but there are too many characters for most of them to achieve much depth. the book is better.

priceless

a ridiculous french farce about a bartender who becomes a man-whore to impress a woman similarly employed who initially mistook him for a rich man. Audrey Tautou is gorgeous as always, but could anyone really root for this love affair?

kabluey

obviously, Scott Prendergast, writer/director/lead actor of this indie (have I mentioned that's generally a bad idea?), thinks that watching a loser stunble around in a huge blue suit is hilarious. to me, not so much. Lisa Kudrow is quasi-symapthetic as a mother of two atrocious children who has an affair with her slimy boss while her husband is stationed in Iraq...well, actually, no she isn't. there wasn't much to like here.

sisterhood of the traveling pants 2

the young ladies' four stories are trite, predictable, and dull, and the film culminates in the stupidest one. there are some pretty people to look at, and lovely Greek scenery, but this sequel should never have been made.

the baxter

for a commonplace indie rom-com about a loser who's left at the altar, this movie has a pretty impressive cast - Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Williams, Justin Theroux, Peter Dinklage, and the ubiquitous Paul Rudd. but when will people learn not to write, direct, and star in their own movies? that just never, never turns out well.

year of the dog

Mike White is a vegan so he made this movie about Molly Shannon evolving into an extreme animal rights activist who alienates all of her friends and family. autobiographical?

the ex

Zach Braff and Amanda Peet are very boring leads, but this 'comedy' about a Manhattan couple who move to Ohio after the birth of their baby wasn't nearly as excruciating as I feared.

puccini for beginners

eleven years after 'two girls in love,' Maria Maggenti makes another cute movie about confused lesbians. it turns out the path to true love is experimental bisexuality and opera. who knew?

the perfect holiday

this one never played in Puerto Rico, and it turns out I wasn't missing much. the cast is super cute (Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union and three sweet tykes) but the plot is formulaic and rife with stereotypes (rapper father abandons kids, store mall santa poses as successful businessman to win single mom's affections....). ho ho ho.

role models

probably not the best choice for a mother-daughter outing, this comedy is pretty much a continuation of every other recent comedy of its genre - zack and miri, superbad, knocked up, etc., etc. I did learn, however, that while I usually hate big battles in movies, when the battle is fake, it can be pretty entertaining.

get smart

I was a huge fan of this show as a child, so I resisted this version in the theatres, but finally gave in on DVD. it was completely inconsequential, but Anne Hathaway wasn't bad and The Rock was pretty adorable too.

miss pettigrew lives for a day

this movie is a little too cute for it's own good, but Frances McDormand is great just breathing onscreen. Shirley Henderson is also great as a slinky, slightly sinister socialite.

changeling

it's a pleasure to see a beautifully made, photographed, and structured movie, in spite of the macabre subject matter. and of course - Angelina Jolie. I need not say more. Amy Ryan has a great minor role, and Jeffrey Donovan is chilling.

the ten

I really hope Role Models is better than this incredibly stupid movie, ten sketches ostensibly illustrating the ten commandments through the 'humor' of prison rape, poisoned children, and a bunch of other offensive things I've already forgotten.

married life

I really enjoyed this little movie about a man who falls in love with a younger woman and devises a plan to spare his wife the agony of his abandonment, and his scheming best friend. Patricia Clarkson, Rachel MacAdams and Pierce Brosnan are all charming, and Chris Cooper is wonderfully pathetic.

zack and miri make a porno

this movie is basically Clerks III, but a little dirtier. it wasn't very funny, but just watching some of the Kevin Smith crew assembled was titillating.