November in December

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Starring Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, and Lenny Kravitz

A gritty tale of an inner-city teen on the verge of destruction, Precious ignites its audience with an incredibly likeable and pitiful protagonist, Clairece Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), indirect opinions about the importance of education and independence, and Mo'Nique as Precious's mother who gives one of the best performances of the decade. Who knew she could be so gripping and chilling and worthy of every award this season? Sidibe is easy to love, wanting to jump through the screen and save her. Thankfully her character finds support at school and other places, which also lead to other great performances by Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, and the young girls in Precious's class. On a down note (and a very small one at that), the film doesn't totally capture the true grief and hardships of Precious Jones. The novel seduces its reader with dialect and blunt description of events that are too disturbing to read further at times. But overall, the film is an achievement, and one of the best this year.

Grade: B+

Disney's A Christmas Carol

Voiced by Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Cary Elwes, Bob Hoskins, and Robin Wright Penn

In 3-D, this version of the classic holiday tale, Robert Zemeckis strictly blends the words of Charles Dickens as well as an entertaining, action-packed adventure. Jim Carrey is the perfect choice for the slew of voices he provides and Gary Oldman gives Bob Cratchit an appropriate commonness. The effects are great and looks beautiful. Overall, a great movie that sticks to the book.

Grade: B

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattison, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Anna Kendrick, Michael Sheen, and Dakota Fanning

The first film in the saga was actually pretty good and entertaining; however, New Moon, the second addition to The Twilight Saga, bores because the translation from page to screen isn't smooth or impactful. The problem lies in the screenplay: horribly corny lines, dialogue that goes on for days (and bad dialogue at that), and scenes that may have appear important with a narrator like the whole adrenaline rush thing, but on screen, it all seemed stupid. Oh, and can I add that Lautner is probably the worst actor of the year? The only thing that saved this movie is Kristen Stewart's unrelenting ability to conjugate the horrid script as best she can.

Grade: D+

A Serious Man

Starring Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed, Sari Lennick, and Aaron Woolf

In the Coen Brother's new film, A Serious Man, Larry Gopnik tries to hold together his life that is faced with serious, yet obliquely hilarious (and Jewish), setbacks. His wife, played like an icebox of laughs by newcomer Sari Lennick, wants a divorce and tells Larry that she's in love with Sy Ableman and that she wants Larry to move out. Wonderful. The film is full of sly humor and tremendously underrated acting. Aaron Woolf, Larry's son, provides one of the year's best performances from a young actor, Lennick as said before is funny and Siberian, and Richard Kind as Larry's nutty brother adds to the austere hilarity. And then there's Michael Stuhlbarg. His performance latches on to the humor trying to be serious but knowing it's all fun. It's a cycle the Coen Brothers have mastered and Stuhlbarg portrays it perfectly. He deserves more praise than the awards have been giving. Ultimately, A Serious Man includes everything the Coen's are about: humor and drama and great filmmaking. The only setbacks of the film are the prologue and numerous unfinished plot lines.

Grade: B+

September/October in December

Taking Woodstalk

Starring Demetri Martin, Imelda Staunton, Henry Goodman, Emile Hirsch, Jonathan Groff, Paul Dano, Jeffery Dean Morgan, Eugene Levy, Mamie Gummer, and Liev Schreiber

It looks beautiful and feels like a great film, but there's something missing and it has to do with not showing the concert, which was basically the Holy Grail of the film. Good performances, though none that stand out for too long because there are so many characters.

Grade: B

Zombieland

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin

It was hilarious, indie-like, and mounted with great performances from Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg (with an explosive 2009 year), and the best cameo ever. But, in the end, the plot structure seemed to obvious and the payoff was lame.

Grade: B-

The Invention of Lying

Starring Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Gardner, Jonah Hill, Louis C. K., Tina Fey, and Rob Lowe

A great concept with humorous plot points, "The Invention of Lying" has an opinion about society and a philosophy on beauty, but becomes a contradiction and a failure in the final five minutes.

Grade: C

Where the Wild Things Are

Starring Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose, and Chris Cooper

Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers creates a world for the lost, wild mind that is Max out of a children's book that takes three minutes to read. The direction is beautiful, though, at times, the plot choices turn uneven, and the voices of Gandolfini and Ambrose are mystical and heart-wrenching. Terrifying, even.

Grade: B+

Paranormal Activity

Starring Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat

Easily one of the most terrifying movies ever. I jumped and nearly screamed, but the lasting effect of "Paranormal Activity" will send you into your bed with the lights on and still feeling like you're house is spooked.

Grade: B+

August in December

Funny People
Starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, and Jason Schwartzman

It's funny, it's sad, and it has excellent performances by Sandler, Rogen, and Mann, but this Apatow dramedy is just like every other Apatow film - too freaking long!

Grade: B


(500) Days of Summer
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel

Some indie films feel indie, probably because they're more indie than others, but I don't really know. "(500) Days of Sumemr" creates a world where the audience knows the ending, knows the heartbreak's looming in the future, and still we hope for the lead man. It's an indie that can stand on its own feet and feel like a high-class film. The point of view is perfect, allowing us not to see the enitre picture at once, and the ending is hilariously perfect. Also, I knew he was going to start a song-and-dance routine!

Grade: A-


District 9
Starring Sharlto Copley

The thing about most sci-fi-alien-attacks-earth movies is that most of them never let you care. "District 9", on the other hand, presents us with a likeable, unknown actor named Sharlto Copley as the shit-on protagonist who undergoes changes that defy the usual character transformations (talking psychological/emotional here), and break into mutating characters physically without losing the character drama that is "District 9".

Grade: B+



Inglorious Basterds
Starring Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, and Diane Kruger

Tarantino at his best! When screenwriting books and blogs and guidelines tell you NOT to keep your characters in the same scene for too long, they should have a meeting with Quentin. It felt like a play but a kick-some-Nazi-ass one. The screenplay created a sense of entertainment, of old-fashioned Hollywood, like something in between "Casablanca" and "Taxi Driver". "Inglorious Basterds" glues you to your seat, makes you sweat, nervous, and jealous that Pitt and his Nazi-killing thugs are having so much fun. Watch out Oscar, here comes Christoph Waltz - the best villain since Anton Chigurh.

Grade: A

July in December

Away We Go
Starring John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Catherine O'Hara, Jeff Daniels, Allison Janney, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Chris Messina

An odyssey of discovery for a grungy couple who discover they're going to have a baby. Excellent performances from the "monsters" on the road. Also, Dave Eggers and Vendela (actually married in real life) write an excellent, realistic screenplay allowing natural chemistry for Krasinski and Rudolph.

Grade: B+


Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Starring Daniel Radcliff, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Jim Broadbent, Michael Gambon, Helena Bohnam Carter, and Maggie Smith

One of the better "Harry Potter" films, but the writers or director or editors failed to include a pulsing battle at the climax of the plot. Beautifully shot, but hugely anticlimactic.

Grade: B-


Bruno
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen

Indecent, overtly raunchy, pointless, and unfunny. I loved "Borat", but "Bruno" was just horrible.

Grade: D-

Public Enemies

Public Enemies
Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Coltillard, and Billy Crudup

Michael Mann has had some hits in his time, and some near misses. With its lush images, close-ups that inject the audience into a character, and a few beautiful moments of film-making, "Public Enemies" would be one of his hits. However, the film also includes way to many characters to keep track of even for 143 minutes, a camera that needs a bit of stability from time to time, and actors that aren't so Batman-like.

According to IMDb, there are about 100 named character in "Public Enemies." Besides the cast above, Mann includes Giovanni Ribisi, Channing Tatum, LeeLee Sobieski, Stephen Dorff, Emilie de Ravin, and Lili Taylor, who are all very recognizable faces if not names. This causes a problem. If the film wants to focus on Depp and Bale with a bunch of scenes including Coltillard and Crudup, that's fine, but throwing in other known actors into the mix creates some confusion, especially when some of them barely have a line. It was as if the film wanted to justify itself as a pre-game for Awards season or something.

Johnny Depp was really the only great aspect of "Public Enemies." He drew us in, creating a humanistic side to his villain, John Dillinger, who ultimately was the protagonist. Christian Bale was a cold character, much like Josh Brolin in "Milk," however Bale provided no hint of weakness or humanity throughout the film, lacking a trait needed to match Depp's Dillinger.

Luckily Coltillard did not follow the path of most Oscar winners after they win the golden man (i.e. Halle Berry goes from "Monster's Ball" to "Catwoman"; Helen Mirren does "National Treasure 2" after winning for "The Queen"; and, of course, the infamous aftermath of "Ray" when Jamie Foxx starred in "Stealth," which i have yet to see on the grounds that I'm still boycotting the film), and she provides a solid non-Oscar-worthy performance as Dillinger's woman. She does have one scene at the end that is brilliant.

Mann's script lacked solidity and dragged for scene after scene, however, every bank robbery and jail escape worked as a tie that strung the film together. The excitement and tension outshone the dull scenes of dull dialogue. And one scene in particular, speaking of tension, that stood out above all is the one in which Depp struts into the police department, the police who are out to get him, and goes into Bale's character's office where all the files and pictures and clues are. All the police are out looking for him, and here he is, in the department, talking to some of the ignorant officers who don't notice him. It was perfect.

All in all, "Public Enemies" is what it is: a really great summer flick trying to be a winter consideration.

Grade: C+

Mini Movie Reviews

In Theaters:

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

An improvement from the first for two reasons and two reasons only: Amy Adams and Hank Azaria.

Grade: C





The Hangover

The first time I saw this hilarious rendition of the typical bachelor party movie, I laughed my effing ass off. I was nearly on the ground. Afterwards, I wasn't sure if I would like it a second time, kind of like "Rat Race." So, I gave it a B-. Then, after a few days, I was like, "I still like it... A LOT", so I gave it a B. Then I saw it for the second time. Did it withstand a sophomore viewing? HELL YES! "The Hangover" is one of the funniest, most original comedies I've seen in a long time. Without knowing why, one just loves it and laughs. But after an analysis of my love for Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis, I realize that not only do I see myself in their H.O. odyssey, but the structure of the film is brilliant for such a cliche overdone genre. Who knew that NOT showing the bachelor portion of the story would work better than showing it all! And, no worries - they show what happens one way or another (i.e. credits photo album).

Grade: B+


Land of the Lost

Will Ferrell nearly falls off the deep end in the comedic sense. He's losing his touch with the laughs; but luckily Danny McBride saves the entire film, despite shitty effects and costumes. Oh, and the poolside trip scene is THE BEST.

Grade: C


The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

There are a few problems with this film and a few plus-sides: Problems? John Travolta. He doesn't become his character. He gives such a phony and laughable performance that when he performs acts of violence, ones we are supposed to be shocked and terrified by, we giggle. Plus-sides? Denzel Washington. He's true to his character, creating an Everyman set in an inescapable situation. He's the exact opposite of Travolta, which is a great thing.

Grade: C


Year One

If you're thinking about going to see this movie because you think Michael Cera is hilarious (which he is!), wait until the DVD comes out so you can fast forward through every non-Cera second. I guess Paul Rudd's scene is funny too, but I saw it in the previews. JUST GO SEE "THE HANGOVER" FOR THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME!!!

Grade: D-


Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

It's all about the people you go with. I was in Las Vegas, it was my last day of vacation, I wasn't in the mood for anything heavy or dramatic - all I wanted was to see shit blow up. And that is all you get from this sequel. Plus, a slow motion running Megan Fox, which bumps the grade from a D to the one below.

Grade: D+


On DVD or Internet:

The Young Victoria

Not even released in the United States, this British film is slightly boring (but ultimately good boring) and drags on, but with a sensational performance from Emily Blunt, as well as Rupert Friend, "The Young Victoria" proves better than most of the movies released in our country.

Grade: B


The Uninvited

Contrary to my cousin's belief that this is a great movie, "The Uninvited" deals no thrills or chills that are lasting, have the worst performances in the world, and has such a dumb ending, I couldn't believe they actually did it. The only, and I mean ONLY, reason this doesn't get a flat-out F, is because the Japanese version (the original) took many Shakespearean elements into consideration while creating the script, particularly from "Hamlet."

Grade: D-


Fanboys

There are some really funny parts and give it a shot if you want a laugh and like "Star Wars," but its subject a tad too narrow for me, and I couldn't get into it as much as I'd like to.

Grade: C





Notorious

All the performances are stellar in this biopic about Notorious B.I.G.'s life and death, however it felt more like an MTV movie than a Hollywood release.

Grade: C




Gran Torino

There were some good moments in Clint's latest, such as the barber shop scene, but come on - if you can't see the self-indulgence in "Torino," you might want to see the eye doctor.

Grade: C-


Bride Wars

I'm pretty sure that the only reason I didn't hate this movie, like everyone else, is because I didn't pay for it in the theaters. It was quick, decently funny, and it was good to see a few females (Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson) lead a film for once this year.

Grade: C


He's Just Not That Into You

Very much a contemporary Leo Tolstoy story, "He's Just Not That Into You" provides a third person omniscient point of view (which is kind of rare for such a big cast) and works every side of relationships, from crush to dating to going out to engagement to marriage and even divorce, and doesn't forget about the Facebook/texting era that we live in. And although, with such a huge cast, not everyone stood out, Jennifer Connelly gave a powerful performance as the wife being stepped on.

Grade: B


New in Town

Renee Zellweger, what the hell are you doing to your career??? Don't you remember early this century? "Chicago"? "Cold Mountain"? Come on!

Grade: D-

Up

Up
Voiced by Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson & John Ratzenberger

The tenth film released by Disney/Pixar with its minimalistic title, "Up" does just that - brings a simple, ordinary life into the unbeleivable. Carl Fredricksen (Edward Asner) is a lonely, grumpy, and sad old man who has kept his property the same for decades, even though the contemporary, skyscraping battles unconditionally against him. He - like every human being - has a story, and his story is told in a ten to fifteen minute montage of his life and his amazing, exuberant wife, Ellie. This chonological mostly-silent section of "Up" takes the audience on a roller coaster of ups and downs. Carl and Ellie were in love the second they met, when they were kids, and always had high hopes of living a beautiful life together, a life of adventure. Yet, all doesn't go as planned, which is life, but Ellie and Carl make the best of what they have. Now a widow, Carl has nothing. Or so he thought.

Pete Docter's script is full of heart and soul, while we watch a grandiose adventure of a lifetime with the hero being a box-shaped senior citizen. Carl's life reaches new heights as he escapes the city in search of Ellie's dream land - South America. And he doesn't take a plane; Carl flies by the only thing he's ever known: balloons. Thousands and thousands of balloons. However, when a pudgy boy scout named Russell (Jordan Nagai) accidentally comes along the ride, Carl is forced to face the facts that this persona of the grumpy old guy is just that - a persona.

Talking dogs, crazy species of birds, and Carl & Ellie's life long hero ensue our story, but the heart of it remains through all the craziness, which is why I will forgive Pixar for selling out a bit with their dog dogfight just to gain membership in the 3-D club. "Up" is another of Pixars amazing line-ups teaching children and adults that life's too short, to love, and to live.

Grade: B+

And just for fun, I'm ranking the 10 films produced by Pixar starting with my favorite:
1. Toy Story
2. Finding Nemo
3. Ratatouille
4. Wall-E
5. A Bug's Life
6. Monster's, Inc.
7. Up
8. The Incredibles
9. Toy Story 2
10. Cars

Star Trek

Star Trek
Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin, Simon Pegg, Winona Ryder & Leonard Nimoy

From an outsider's perspecive, the renewal of the "Star Trek" establishment beams into gear with fun, excitement, thrills, and a excellently written script. Director J. J. Abrams installs some of his usual Felicitian/Lostian love triangles into the mix as well as proving that his ability to create a high-class summer hit is well beyond the living room tube.

Obviously, being a galaxy-questing story, "Star Trek" makes use of its weaponry and action; yet, unlike the "Star Wars" fleet of films (talking about the Episodes I through III), "Trek" becomes more than just cheap thrills and spills. The scene where Sulu (John Cho), Kirk (Chris Pine), and some other guy zoom down and parachute onto a platform of some drill that's breaching the atmosphere and earth of a planet is startlingly intense.

Although Zachary Quinto has been born to play Spock, Chris Pine as the roguish, angsty, and not to mention completely hilarious James T. Kirk steals the show. Pine's portrayal of a could've-been Luke/Anakin Skywalker doesn't mope and throw out cheeseball lines like Mark Hamill, and he doesn't whine like a little baby as Hayden Christensen so annoyingly did in Episodes II and III. Pine creates Holden Caulfield gone badass for himself - and it works.

With all this comparing and contrasting to "Star Wars," "Trek" can't live up to one thing: the dark side. Vader and all the other Darths make "Wars" a symbol of good and evil, God versus Satan, "Paradise Lost", "Romeo & Juliet". It's Shakespearean. "Trek's" badguy, played by Eric Bana, is a sideshow compared to the rest of the film, and in no respects comes close to the evil encompassing "Wars", but like I said, that's really the only part.

Oh, one more thing - I like Quinto better than Nimoy, and WTF Winona? Can't headline a movie anymore?

Grade: B+

January to June - 6 Months, 1 Sentence

My Bloody Valentine: 3-D

Completely pointless, "My Bloody Valentine" will leave you bloody for bringing your valentine to such a complete suckfest.

Grade: F






Friday the 13th

Some scenes and scare-sequences were actually directed well and I loved how the movie starts 30 minutes into it, but the ending killed it for me alongside the mediocre acting.

Grade: C-





Coraline

Great story, but the animation or whatever its called made me want to puke the same kind of puke "Ren & Stimpy" made me hurl.

Grade: C

Two Lovers

An excellent, dramatic piece of film at a time in need of quality acting - thanks to Phoenix, Paltrow and Shaw.

Grade: B+

Watchmen

Waaaaaaayyy too much information for a movie and waaaaaayyyyy too much Manhattan junk.

Grade: C-






The Last House on the Left

This horror flick puts the evil in people, both psychopaths and vengeful parents, and pushes the boundaries of the word "squeamish".

Grade: B-






I Love You, Man

When this comes out on DVD, have a mandate with your guy friend by watching the Rudd/Segel chemistry that matches the compatibility of DiCaprio/Winslet; and if you're a chick, let your guy have his mandate, and you can probably join in too.

Grade: B





Knowing

I hate Nicholas Cage and anything he's made since 2002's "Adaptation."

Grade: D+







Observe & Report

Rogen really shouldn't do a movie by himself without a team of highly qualified funny people (a.k.a. James Franco or Leslie Mann) because Anna Faris didn't get enough screen time to hold his weight.

Grade: F





X-Men Origins: Wolverine

How many times can we watch Sabertooth and Wolverine run at each other before having a glorified cat fight?

Grade: D+






Angels & Demons

Better than "DaVinci Code," but there's too much vital information that's left out from the book.

Grade: C+






Drag Me to Hell

Kind of hated it, kind of liked it - it was scary, funny, annoying and sardonically masterful.

Grade: C+