Watching the recent film version of Anna Karenina, I couldn’t help but think, “And I spent all those hours reading (the listening to) this classic just to be sure I’d read it before the movie? Why?” The film initially gave me a feeling as if I was living somewhere in the mind of a person…
Finally saw this one. Yes, yes, I loved (and live) the line, “There’s nothing cheap about loyalty.” And yes, I maximize my miles/points all I can. Love the perks that come by doing so! But the movie itself—-interesting. The gender reversal was a grand spin. I wonder how many people were upset for George but…
My first officiall 2013 film…. Side Effects. This movie twists and turns at such a rate that careful attention to all the details is a must, lest you miss the “how” or the “when” by the “who” of the “what.” What I thought going in based on the trailer was debunked. What I thought later…
I had wanted to see this film since I saw the trailer. And I’m glad I did. I wasn’t sure how I would feel, but I went. After the press went south for the subject, I had hesitated. And I had waffled—-how did I feel about such? But every time I waffled, I rested on…
Dark. Twisted. Vulgar. Peculiar. The Paperboy takes you on a journey I’m not sure I was ready for—-or one that left me feeling I had not been anywhere worthy of a postcard. It is gritty in a way that allows you to feel the humidity of the southern Florida swamps while it glimpses sex and…
There was great talk (and a few nominations) over Rachel Weisz’s performance in The Deep Blue Sea. Frankly, I wasn’t able to make it through the entire movie without fast-forwarding through parts to the end. I’m sure mindset has a lot to do with how we interpret and receive films, and whatever mine was, it…
Moonrise Kingdom is quirky and fun, even if quiet. There’s quite a who’s who in the cast—-mostly playing some very different roles than those we usually associate with each actor. Admittedly, it might be too quiet (some would say slow) for me on some days, but it actually has quite a bit to say. And…
Having read the book, I was unsure how Ang Lee would be able to depict this story on the screen. But he did an excellent job. Yes, some of the story is a bit different on the screen than it was in the book, but it was just as heartwarming. The movie too leaves the…
The Impossible is a beautiful movie that reminds us how amazing—-in so, so many ways—-the world is. In watching this, through the tears that flowed often, I wanted to believe it was fiction—-that there is no way this could happen. But in watching this, through the tears that flowed often, I knew how true the…
I had to work hard to remember the name of this movie I watched just a couple of weeks ago. If you keep up with my movies, you’ll know that this is not of my normal repertoire. But I agreed to a traditional rom-com. And I was reminded why I don’t see most of them.…
Arbitrage—–it’s a bit Wall Street, a bit thriller, a bit mystery, a bit legal drama, a bit family saga, and more. It is greed, deception, desperation, and fraud. It is family trust and love, hidden, lied about, and lost. It is, sadly, probably a glimpse into the trust of some people’s lives. Gere is better…
Bernie. Fun. Light. Deep. Dark. Texas. East Texas. What an enjoyably odd story. Jack Black is, perhaps, at his best. He brings to Bernie a depth and whimsy that just makes him oddly likeable. And oddly intriguing. And oddly, well, odd. He’s certainly easy to like, no matter what he’s done. The movie mostly just…
Salmon Fishing on the Yemen, by its title, does not evoke a “rush to the theater” reaction, eh? But I’ll say it’s certainly worth a Red Box. The flick is simply a fun, light movie. Emily Blunt brings her charm, and what I noticed most about Ewan McGregor was his breadth as an actor with…
I can admit that I knew the ending. Goodness, I knew the major plot highlights. Still, what a great movie. What a great story. What a great moment in history. All of that said, of course, the movie also greatly highlights the dirt that is politics. And the low that the deals were as portrayed…
After the blood and violence of Django, the mental illness of Silver Linings Playbook was a nice change. Yes, I simply said, “nice.” Don’t get me wrong, Silver Linings was a good movie, but I did not see in it the raves that it’s gotten. (Maybe I’m still numb from the shooting by QT. Not…