In theaters
Bridesmaids: Idiosyncratic, interesting, and unafraid to be a little maudlin, the film is a love letter to chick flicks and gross out comedies at the same time. Kristin Wiig's script is deft and particularly poignant while her performance finds nuances I didn't think she had in her. A quality endeavor all around.
B+
Crazy Stupid Love: It's not really groundbreaking, but it's incredibly well done especially from a dynamite cast. It's gets a bit long in the tooth late, but it's really okay. Carell's performance is more akin to Dan in Real Life than his other work, and Ryan Gosling proves his off-camera charms can work on-screen as well. My favorite redheads Emma Stone and Julianne Moore are lovelier as ever.
B+
Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Despite jokes, characters, and story arcs that pander to the lowest common denominator, a deeply sexist and unsurprising view of women, and unnecessary comedy, the film is quite a thrilling ride with some of the most dazzling visual effects I've seen in a great while. There's a much simpler story this time around so the action and robots are front and center.
B-
The Tree of Life: It's a healthy mix of wow moments and what the fuck. I'm not at all certain what it all means, but I don't know that I care. I was overwhelmed and engulfed in a vision of the world and it took my breath away. Still haven't really wrapped my head around what I watched. Needs to gestate a bit. I'll keep you posted. A-
Bad Teacher: I will say, I like it, quite a bit. Watching Cammy do and say such bad things with such relish was a genuine thrill. But as much as I like it, I actually want it to be bawdier and badder. Coming from the director of Bad Santa, I was hoping for the far more outrageous. Segal and Timberlake are good, but Lucy Punch steals the scenes as a rival teacher. I can't wait for the unrated DVD. B
Super 8 was a zingy piece of nostalgic sci-fi movie-making. Bolstered by two emotional performances by newcomer Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning, the film is youthful, exciting, and surprisingly funny. There is some excessive action sequences especially at the end, and the ending, albeit sweet, does stumble a bit. An nuanced soundscape, a great score, the film is still a win despite its glaring flaws. A-
Midnight in Paris was a sweet and airy dollop of whipped meringue. But like meringue, it's not very filling. Stuffed chock full of the magic and romance that Woody Allen has created for his New York City, here he takes us to the City of Lights in 1920s. Witty, charming, and oh so literate. Props to Marion Cotillard for her continued string of great work this time as muse. Kudos also to some great actors in small cameos as Hemingway, Dahli, and Gertrude Stein. B
Just Go With It: It's really depressing when the women (Aniston and a terribly out-of-place, yet still very funny Nicole Kidman) are best part of the film especially when the film treats them and all women with such disdain. C
X-Men First Class: A lot of fun. Enjoyed its messing with the mythology. Stylish and really impeccably cast. Michael Fassbender better become a household name because he's inspiring and gorgeous even in such a silly kind of movie. Plus the triumvirate of hotness that is January Jones, Rose Byrne, and Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence...Yeah! B
On DVD
The Break-Up: Vaughn & Aniston do exactly what you'd expect in this unromantic comedy. Despite the predictability of it all and the overabundance of star wattage, I really didn't mind it. The story diverges enough from standard romcom silliness to stay fresh and Aniston is able to find more emotional realness than I ever thought she could muster. Granted...It was before she stopped trying. (2006)
B-
The Lovely Bones: Great source material, amazing director and cast, and we get this tonally schizophrenic, over-sharing, emotionally slutty frenetically shot hodgepodge of images? Saoirse Ronan makes a valiant effort as the slain Susie Salmon as is Brian Eno's score, but Stanley Tucci's serial killer's just plain annoying and I'd never think Mark Wahlberg was a CPA. What a waste. (2009)
D+
North Country: A pretty standard yet interesting biopic about female mine workers fighting for equality in 80s Minnesota. Anchored by a riveting Charlize Theron, and the rest of the stellar cast including godlike Richard Jenkins, Sissy Spacek, Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Jeremy Renner do their best with hohum material. A bit too long too. (2005)
B
Frida: Poor Salma Hayek is just not up for the challenge and certainly doesn't have the chops to handle this role. The film is stylish and well-made with great art direction and one of my favorite film scores. It has a bit too much of Taymor's quirks for me, but Alfred Molina is astonishing. With a different actress, this would have been at least 12x better. (2002)
B-
Whip It!: A surprising film, directed by Drew Barrymore, full of feisty fun and ample heart. This roller derby coming-of-age comedy stars the always affable Ellen Page plus a supporting cast that includes Kristin Wiig, Marcia Gay Harden, Juliette Lewis, and Jimmy Fallon. Funny, charming, and a bit dirty, Whip It was a great time round the roller ring. (2009)
B+
Short Bus: Mixing unedited, real sex on screen, the improvisational Mike Leigh style script, a game cast, and heady direction John Cameron Mitchell's cinematic experiment almost really works. What starts off being quite funny and odd slowly melting into too much melodrama by the end. The ending, albeit fun, tries to find faux profundity in some very odd circumstances while still leaving some characters out to sea. (2006)
B
