Midnight in Paris

I don't love Owen Wilson or Woody Allen, but I found this movie fairly charming. Worth a rental.

The Girl w/the Dragon Tatoo

If you've read the book and liked it, you won't be disappointed in the movie. It's pretty spot on. Only one fairly minor difference that I spotted. The casting was teriffic. I was hoping they would hollywood-up some of the more brutal scenes but they didn't at all. The brutal scenes from the book are just as brutal in the movie.

The Descendents

George Clooney is great in this movie but it's really depressing. This guy has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Also, for me personally, there were too many scenes of a father and his two daughters in a hospital rooom waiting for the wife/mother to die.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

I thought this was better than the first movie - rare words for a sequel. Definitely a fun and entertaining flick, although I had a hard time getting past how much Professor Moriarty looked like Conan O'Brien.

How Do You Know

Another pretty typical romantic comedy, although I will say that Reese Witherspoon is charming in this movie. And Paul Rudd is adoreable pretty much all the time.

Love and Other Drugs

This movie takes some very serious issues and tries to mesh that with nudity and humour. The main issue is so serious that I guess nudity and humour are necessary to be able to digest it.

Hereafter

I put off watching this movie, thinking it'd be hard to watch something on this topic after my mom passed away. It was worth waiting. It's a good movie and makes one wonder about what does happen.

Limitless

Interest concept. Some weird camera shots, but overall I liked it. It's a popcorn thriller type.

Secretariat

What this horse has accomplished is nothing sort of amazing and no other horse has come close since. It's a beautiful story about a beautiful horse.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Once again, this Harry Potter movie stays very true to the book and doesn't disappoint.

Jane Eyre

I love the way this movie is written. The speech people use sounds like poetry and it's quite beautiful. It's such a sweeping romantic movie.

The Adjustment Bureau

This was a movie with an original idea, which I always appreciate. I liked most of the movie, however I thought the resolution was wrapped up just a little too neatly and easily. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt were both great.

Thor

There were some cheesy, cliche scenes/lines in this movie, but overall I liked it and am now looking forward even more to The Avengers.

J. Edgar

Leo Dicaprio is so good. He does a great job as J Edgar Hoover in this movie directed by Clint Eastwood. It's a touch slow-moving at times, but overall I thought it was very well done.

The Mechanic

I love Jason Statham, but this action movie was just too brutal for me.

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1

I've always said that the Harry Potter movies are the best book to movie adaptations I've seen. This movie is no exception. It's absolutey tremendous and I can't wait for the final movie. These books and movies will live for generations to come, as it has in my family. My dad, my sister, my nephew, and now my nieces love Harry Potter as much as I do.

Hannah

Seriously, I think this movie would be really good if one was watching it high. There are action scenes that remind me of being at a rave in some industrial warehouse. The music is techno, and the camera shots and lighting all add to the effect. Interesting story, but I felt like some of the story got lost in the trippiness of it all.

The Duchess

A Kiera Knightly movie that takes place in 18th century England - what could be better? It's a true story that shows once again the shocking social standards of the day. I LOVE these stories!

Salt

This movie was an action-filled spy movie, which normally I love. There was something that just didn't work though. I see now why this didn't do so well at the box office.

Moneyball

Everyone I had heard from said this movie was so great. The acting is great. But the story was just ok. I didn't quite see what made this story worthy of a movie.

Sanctum

This was a good thriller, but a bit of a downer.

The Ides of March

Ryan Gosling is just so good! This movie really shows how one can start out with ideals and morals in a political career. But, eventually the choice needs to be made to either get down and dirty or get out. To get out means no power, no glory. So many choose to look after number one and throw a lot of those ideals and morals out the window. It's so sad that this is what our political system boils down to. The movie crystallizes this so well.

Exit Through the Gift Shop

This is a documentary about street art that makes one realize that the art world is so much more subjective than any other medium out there. The "value" of an art piece can make no sense at all. I really enjoyed this and wish I would have watched this before going to London so I could have watched for Banksy's work.

The Lincoln Lawyer

I love a good legal and crime thriller and this is one of them. My only complaint was I would've liked to have seen the bad guy get what he deserved at the end. It was implied, but satisfaction comes from seeing it.

The Switch

An adorable child actor and Jeff Goldblum made this movie tolerable. The ending is so Hollywood - as is typical for any type of romantic comedy (although this isn't really a comedy).

Morning Glory

This goes on my list of good idea that didn't translate to the film. Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, Harrison Ford - should be good, right? Nope.

Due Date

As a comedy goes, I didn't think it was super funny. There were parts that were charming but there were also moments that weren't good at all.

All Good Things

This is Ryan Gosling at his creepiest. This is based on a true story which always makes a movie resonate even more. Once again, truth is stranger than fiction and the drive for money can drive a person crazy.

Conviction

This is a story about a man wrongly convicted of a crime, and his sister who goes to law school so she can prove his innocence. Really an amazing story of dedication when all is stacked against her. The fact that it's based on a true story makes it all the more unbelievable.

The Conspirator

I was especially interested in seeing this movie as I had read a book called "Manhunt" about the search for John Wilkes Booth. This movie focuses on the trial of Mary Suratt, the mother of John Suratt, a good friend of Booth's. I found the movie fascinating. Our country, in an effort to punish anyone involved in the conspiracy to kill the president, skirted the rules of the law in this trial. While the guilt of Mary Suratt is still debated to this day, her trial left no chance for a fair defense. The movie is very worthwile.

The Help

Seeing a movie after reading the book is always a bit of a let down. The book is always so much better. But having said that, the movie is still good. The book is more gritty and realistic. The movie offers up some happier, tidier endings. But definitely worth seeing.

Mildred Pierce (the original)

I dvr'd the original Mildred Pierce from AMC and I thought it was great. There's a lot of great twists and turns in the story. I have the re-make with Kate Winslet in my queue and am anxious to see it now.

Never Let Me Go

I love movies that are unique in some way - more specifically that it has a plot or a premise that I haven't seen before. This movie has a premise I hadn't seen before with themes we have all seen. The two together meshed really well. Then throw in Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Kiera Knightly and you get one very cool and interesting movie.

The Way Back

Fascinating movie about prisoners that escape a Siberian prison in the 1930's only to have to walk through Russia, Mongolia, China, Tibet, and finally to India. Watch with the subtitles as it's a little hard to understand with the accents.

It's Kind Of A Funny Story

This is a really good movie. It's charming, yet moving at the same time. It was nice to see Zack Galifinackis (sp?) in a more meaty role than the Hangover movies. Check out the outtakes on the dvd - they are funny.

Get Low

This was a great movie. Robert Duvall is amazing. There was oscar talk for him last year and now I know why. This is a definite must see.

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger

This is a Woody Allen movie and I'm hit or miss with him. I was fine with this movie until the end. It ends very abruptly. Don't look for resolution to storylines in this one. Other than that, I didn't mind it.

Buried

Ryan Reynolds is great, but only see this if you're ready to be seriously disturbed. It's a tough movie to watch.

Dinner for Schmucks

This was so bad I turned it off half-way through. The crazy hi-jinks between Paul Rudd and Steve Carell were so cliche. Steve Carell's character just didn't make any sense to me at all. One minute he seems socially unaware and the next he's being extremely devious. I was bummed because I really like Paul Rudd and I absolutely adore Ron Livingston.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

I didn't understand a lot of the financial complexities of this movie. The relationship storylines were ok. All in all, it definitely wasn't the classic that the first one was, but it's alright.

Nowhere Boy

This is the story of John Lennon's teenage years. From what I've read online, it's a pretty accurate portrayal. I found it interesting because John comes off as edgy and hard-core rock-n-roll. When I think of Lennon, I think of a poet who urges the world to give peace a chance. That Lennon doesn't really show up here, other than to say once (to his new friend Paul) that he's written some stuff like stories and poems. I found it interesting to learn about this history of his that I had no idea about.

Stone

This is one of those sexy thriller types that messes with your head a little bit. I didn't care for it too much but Robert De Niro and Edward Norton are really great together. They were in The Score and I loved that movie. They still have great chemistry, I just didn't care for the messed up story.

Cedar Rapids

This had one laugh out loud moment and few smiles. I was really hoping for more on this one as the idea of it sounded great.

The American

This was pretty boring. I love to look at George Clooney, but the movie was slow moving and I was waiting for it to be over.

The A-Team

There were a lot of moving parts to keep track of in this movie, but mostly I just couldn't buy into Liam Neeson as Hannibal Smith. I love him - but just can't see him as a hardened American soldier.

Easy A

It's a fairly typical high school flick, but it does contain some fun references to 80's teen movies Say Anything, The Breakfast Club, Can't Buy Me Love, and more.

Cyrus

This was better than I thought. John C Reilly is charming and Jonah Hill is devious but in a funny way.

Super 8

The first half of this movie is really great. But the second half drops into a very stereotypical alien on earth story. The final scene in particular was disappointing as it's been done before. The acting is great - the kids in the movie are fantastic. So, half good, half been there done that storyline.

Knight and Day

This is an action movie that is so completely unrealistic, yet maintains a fun, popcorn feel to it. I enjoyed it.

Going the Distance

This was better than the average romantic comedy. It seemed less cheesy than most. That's about the best compliment I can give to a rom-com.

Bridesmaids

This movie is entirely different than what the trailer makes it out to be. It's actually a movie with some substance to it. There are some funny parts, but that isn't the overall point of the movie. There is one raunchy bathroom scene that to me just didn't fit in with the rest of the movie. Overall, I was surprised but pleasantly so with this flick.

Mother and Child

The first half of this movie is pretty hateable. The two lead female characters (Annette Benning and Naomi Watts) are unlikable. If you can get through the 1st half, the second half is better. It's still not great, but the movie redeems itself a little bit.

The Dilemma

Vince Vaughn - one of my favorites! However, I didn't think that this movie really let Vince be Vince. Not only that, the storyline just didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Kevin James' character has a marriage that's falling apart, yet he is extolling the virtues of love to Vince's character in an attempt to get him to propose to his girlfriend. Also, the ending didn't really wrap things up. Definitely not on the same level as a Swingers or a Wedding Crashers.

Country Strong

I've said this before about other movies, but it keeps coming up. I feel like this could have been a good movie. The idea was good, but it just didn't translate that well on the screen. The music didn't grab me like the music from Crazy Heart did and that would have helped some. Also, there's the most fake punch in movie history in this film. It's worth a rental but I'm glad I didn't pay to see it in the theater.

Restrepo

This is a documentary about a group of soldiers in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. It was done by Tim Heatherington who was recently killed while covering the conflict in Libya. I found it riveting and it really gives an idea of what our soldiers go through. I highly recommend it.

La Mission

This is a movie with Benjamin Bratt as a latino former gangster and a father of a teenage son. He finds out his son is gay and the movie is the story of how he deals with the news. I found some scenes took a little too long and didn't pan out satisfactorily, and the ending left me hanging a bit, but all in all I liked it.

Cairo Time

This is a good movie - in a very subtle way. A woman travels to Cairo to meet up with her husband. The husband is delayed while working for the UN, so he has a friend of his keep his wife company. They become attracted to each other, but it's a very discreet attraction and not the entire focus of the film. I enjoyed it.

The Extra Man

This is a movie about some very eccentric personalities in New York and I found it a bit odd, but mainly charming. No matter how weird people seem, we all need personal relationships to sustain us. That was the message I took away from this movie.

Agora

This takes place in Alexandria, Egypt in 400 AD. First, it's pagans fighting christians. Then it's christians fighting jews. Then it's christians fighting christians. I didn't love it.

Pillars of the Earth

This was a mini-series on Showtime. Naturally, the book is better. But the mini-series was quite good. It's 8 episodes, which, if you've read the book, you know that is not nearly enough. So don't be surprised when elements of the book don't show up. It kept pretty well to the story line though and all in all, I really liked it.

Remember Me

This one slid under the radar. It's got Robert Pattinson but I suppose if he's not a vampire it doesn't get as much news. Chris Cooper and Pierce Brosnan are in it too. I didn't have much expectation for this movie, but I found it surprisingly poignant. It's mostly a movie about familial relationships, and how hard and yet how rewarding those can be. I found it very worthwile.

The Bounty Hunter

Sometimes you just need a light, somewhat entertaining comedy. I watched this with my dad and while it won't win any awards, it was what was needed on a tough day.

From Paris With Love

This is a shoot-em up movie and sometimes I enjoy those. However, this one was less than average. When John Travolta single-handedly killed about 30 guys in the first 20 minutes of the movie and does it like it's all in another boring day at the office, it became so cheesy that I had a hard time enjoying it.

Letters to Juliet

A romantic comedy where everyone ends up happy and in love. It's hardly a surprising movie.

The Company Men

This is a sad and frustrating movie to watch. It shows a corporation planning for new headquarters and a CEO making millions and millions, while they are laying off hundreds of employees. The movie focuses on Ben Affleck's character, a higher level manager with a family, a big house, a club membership, and a Porsche. He gets laid off, and we see his journey through unemployment. On one hand, it's hard to feel sorry for the folks out there that made that kind of money in the first place. But on the other hand, they have further to fall. And who among us doesn't spend what we earn? You do that if you make $30k or $200k. All in all, it's good movie that rings far too true.

I Am Love

This is an Italian movie starring Tilda Swinton. It took an hour to get to the crux of the movie, and even then I had a hard time staying interested.

The Killer Inside Me

This movie has a lot of names, which is what attracted me to it. Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, and Simon Baker are all in it. However, I didn't understand some of the story points and I thought the editing was a bit awkward in places. But what doomed the movie for me was how incredibly vicious it is. It is terribly violent and particularly toward women. I found it very difficult to watch.

Mid August Lunch

This is an Italian movie about a gentleman taking care of his mother, who through different circumstances, ends up taking care of three other older ladies for a day or two. It's meant to be humorous with 4 cantankerous older women and a son trying to make them all happy while keeping himself happy through drinking too much wine, but I just found it boring.

The Secret In Their Eyes

This is a movie from Argentina. It's got some difficult material in it, but it's a good story with an interesting ending. If you don't mind subtitles, this movie is worth renting.

Ondine

This was a really sweet movie. It would have been even better I think though if I could've understood all of the words being spoken. It's in a heavy irish accent and the only subtitles available were in spanish. I felt like I didn't cacth a lot of the details of the movie. I got the gist of it and I liked it, but I felt like I missed a lot.

Me and Orson Welles

Apparently egotistical actors treating others badly goes back quite a few years, as can be evidenced by the character Orson Welles ripping away the dreams of the younger actor, played by Zack Effron. Not a bad movie - just ok.

The Green Hornet

Through a comedy of errors, my friend Rob and I watched this entire movie in the IMAX 3-D theater with the wrong 3-D glasses. We saw no 3D and certain parts of the screen were blurry. After the movie, I commented that I thought Ryan Reynolds was in it. Rob laughed and said he thought the same thing until he finally figured out that Ryan Reynolds is in The Green Lantern and we were watching The Green Hornet. So I went to a 3-D movie that I didn't get to see in 3-D, and it wasn't even the movie I thought I was going to see! All of that said, the movie wasn't bad. It's not great, but there are some funny moments and I bet it's even better if you see it in 3-D. Note that there are different glasses for regular 3-D showings and IMAX 3-D showings!

Inception

It's refreshing to see such an original idea. It's a bit like The Matrix in tackling an alternate reality but it really is its own story. I thought it was interesting and fun.

Blue Valentine

I knew going in that this was a movie about a marriage going through a tough time. I thought that it would be about two fairly decent people that just don't know how to love each other anymore. They both had issues, but one of them clearly had more problems than the other. To me, the movie would have resonated more if I couldn't so clearly place blame on one of them. It's great acting though - there's no denying that.

Brooklyn's Finest

This is a cop movie that follows the paths of three different officers. It's about regular cops that make bad decisions given some desperate circumstances. This movie is almost 2 1/2 hours long and it's a real downer. It's not a bad movie, just too long.

The Losers

This is a great action flick with some very funny scenes thrown in. Stars Jeffery Dean Morgan (Denny Duquette from Grey's Anatomy) and Zoe Saldana. I was pleasantly suprised with how much I enjoyed it.