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- DirectorAdam McKayStarsWill FerrellChristina ApplegateSteve CarellIn the 1970s, an anchorman's stint as San Diego's top-rated newsreader is challenged when an ambitious newswoman becomes his co-anchor.Drunken writers?
- DirectorEdward BurnsStarsAnnette ArnoldMax BakerSelma BlairPatti Petalson (Blair) struggles with the pressure of becoming the next important American writer.I seem to like movies about writers, including this one. Two college couples drift apart, find each other again in their 30s, struggle to reunite and still to thine own selves be true. This movie was touching, realistic, and well acted by most.
- DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.Thriller from the history that touched my generation.
- DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsBradley CooperJennifer LawrenceRobert De NiroAfter a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.Not Jennifer Lawrence's best or even 2nd best, but she must have come of age for this one to get her Academy Award for Best Actress. The supporting cast was better than she.
- DirectorTom HooperStarsHugh JackmanRussell CroweAnne HathawayIn 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives forever.I didn't have a problem with the singing from less than epic vocalists, and it still is a good story.
- DirectorAnne FontaineStarsAudrey TautouBenoît PoelvoordeAlessandro NivolaThe story of Coco Chanel's rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world.Audrey Tautou is now my second favority Audrey. Tiny like Hepburn and seems to be a more serious actress. Strange that this movie told some of the same parts of her life as the movie "Coco Chanel" but told them differently. I liked this one better - the actor and the story.
- DirectorMark MylodStarsAnna FarisChris EvansAri GraynorA woman looks back at the past nineteen men she's had relationships with in her life and wonders if one of them might be her one true love.Witty. A chick flick for guys more than gals?
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsOwen WilsonRachel McAdamsKathy BatesWhile on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.Strange casting of Wilson in this role. I wonder how many better choices turned down Woody Allen. Despite the weak cast, the story was engaging.
- DirectorStephen NorringtonStarsSean ConneryStuart TownsendPeta WilsonIn an alternate Victorian Age world, a group of famous contemporary fantasy, science fiction, and adventure characters team up on a secret mission.Ridiculous casting of a very aging Sean Connery in the lead role. Something there for the CGI-loving, fantasy-adoring, not-connected-to-reality crowd ... but not much for me. Still, the story held together throughout, so I'll give it credit for only that.
- DirectorAndy FickmanStarsBilly CrystalBette MidlerMarisa TomeiArtie and Diane Decker agree to look after their three grandchildren when their type-A helicopter parents need to go out of town for work. Problems arise when their 21st-century behavior collides with Artie and Diane's old-school methods.Decent family humor made decently.
- DirectorRenny HarlinStarsRupert FriendEmmanuelle ChriquiRichard CoyleA drama set centered around the war between Russia and Georgia, and focused on an American journalist, his cameraman, and a Georgian native who become caught in the crossfire.Gripping, though quite contrived that the heroes defy all odds to stay alive.
- DirectorWill GluckStarsMila KunisJustin TimberlakePatricia ClarksonA young man and woman decide to take their friendship to the next level without becoming a couple, but soon discover that adding sex only leads to complications.The story line was just too narrow, and the acting was only fair. There were some good lines, so kudos to the writers at least.
- DirectorIstván SzabóStarsAnnette BeningMichael GambonMaury ChaykinSet in 1930s London, this movie involves stage actors and actresses and their experiences with love and revenge.A wonderful old-time film made in the new millennium. The writer, director, and actors play out a good story, but keep you guessing on a few things, and that makes it fun.
- DirectorMcGStarsReese WitherspoonChris PineTom HardyC.I.A. operatives wage an epic battle on each other when they discover they are dating the same woman.Paced well and amusing throughout.
- DirectorRich CowanStarsRay LiottaGisele FragaMichael RodrickWhile investigating a series of murders, a homicide detective becomes the prime suspect when the FBI uncovers his close personal ties to all the victims.Whodunit theme, twisting and turning, tried and true, done and gone. It's not a horrible movie, nor is there anything compelling in the presentation, acting, or story line.
- DirectorStephan ElliottStarsHugo WeavingGuy PearceTerence StampTwo drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret.Silliness, though colorful. Australia has so much better to offer.
- DirectorPhilippe KloseMarcus BirdStarsJoe BonamassaGerry O'ConnorMats WebsterHear the lyrics, enjoy the instrumentation, and wish you had even more good looks at the spectacular venue that is the VOH.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobbie RobertsonMuddy WatersNeil YoungA film account and presentation of the final concert of The Band.The Band shows their range, and serves up some Joni Mitchell for a rare and wonderful pleasure.
- DirectorDavid FrankelStarsOwen WilsonJack BlackSteve MartinTwo bird enthusiasts try to defeat the cocky, cutthroat world record holder in a year-long bird-spotting competition.It keeps moving, and Owen Wilson is cast in a role I can almost believe he should play.
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsTom CruiseJack NicholsonDemi MooreMilitary lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee defends Marines accused of murder. They contend they were acting under orders.It is perhaps a classic. Good acting by the youngsters when they were still establishing their persona. The Nicholson act is probably over-rated, but he provides the great knife edge of sharpness; who gets cut?
- DirectorLuke GreenfieldStarsGinnifer GoodwinKate HudsonColin EgglesfieldFriendships are tested and secrets come to the surface when terminally single Rachel falls for Dex, her best friend Darcy's fiancé.Love isn't a straight line! A good movie to discover a new-for-me actress in Ginnifer Goodwin, revisit some others that you know, and one or two you think you know, but from where?
- DirectorMalik BendjelloulStarsRodriguezStephen 'Sugar' SegermanDennis CoffeyTwo South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez.The Great American story you never knew, and it took South Africa to find it. The American Dream is to start poor, find success, and grow rich. The American Ideal is to start modestly, create your self-defined measure of success, be who you are, be appreciated for who you are, and share what you can. This isn't quite the American Ideal, but that's because we missed it while it was happening.
- DirectorPeter BergStarsBilly Bob ThorntonJay HernandezDerek LukeBased on H.G. Bissinger's book, which profiled the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas and their heroic high school football team, The Permian High Panthers.Classic American tale ... sadly. Not much to see here.
- DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsColin FarrellBrendan GleesonCiarán HindsAfter a job gone wrong, hitman Ray and his partner await orders from their ruthless boss in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be.Gleeson is the man! He was even better in The Guard, but this guy takes control of roles films when he is featured. Well done mix of comedy and story.
- DirectorPawel PawlikowskiStarsEthan HawkeKristin Scott ThomasJoanna KuligA college lecturer flees to Paris after a scandal costs him his job. In the City of Light, he meets a widow who might be involved in a series of murders.Dreams, mysteries, and many things unexpected. I saw it, but I'm not sure what really happened.
- DirectorNorman JewisonStarsMarisa TomeiRobert Downey Jr.Bonnie HuntAs a teen, Faith was told that her destiny is a man named Damon Bradley. Years later - Faith is about to marry another man - a Damon Bradley calls to wish them all the best. Faith blows off the wedding and follows Damon to Italy.Silly can be entertaining. The actors played their roles well, even if the role was asked to be much too over-the-top, Kate Hudson.
- DirectorNora EphronStarsTom HanksMeg RyanGreg KinnearBook superstore magnate Joe Fox and independent book shop owner Kathleen Kelly fall in love in the anonymity of the Internet, both blissfully unaware that he's trying to put her out of business.By the time I caught this movie, the setting was retro. NYC was NYC, but dial-up Internet was eye-catching. It ended way to abruptly.
- DirectorJon AvnetStarsAl PacinoAlicia WittBen McKenzieOn the day that a serial killer that he helped put away is supposed to be executed, a noted forensic psychologist and college professor receives a call informing him that he has 88 minutes left to live.Except for Amy Brenneman, there were a lot of weak portrayals in this movie. I'll have to pin that on Director Jon Avnet, because the quickly-moving story line provided a great deal of content to develop. Hollywood has to produce dramas that are better than 1-hour television series, and this one was not. Ah, I hit the mark without realizing where it was: Director Avnet has spent most of his time producing television series, per his videography on imdb.com. At least his effort in Black Swan is a film of better worth than 88.
- DirectorShawn LevyStarsSteve CarellTina FeyMark WahlbergIn New York City, a case of mistaken identity turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous.One of those not-as-bad-as-expected evening relaxers. Let's not confuse this with a good movie, but it was better than some where the actors try to take their comedian personna and impale you with it for a two hour movie. This flick took that risk, and the potential for cataclysm was significant, with the two lead actors monopolizing the screen. Yet, it developed a story line rather than just a series of gags, it spread the comedy across scenes and themes, and improved as it went along.
- DirectorLucy WalkerSurvivors in the areas hardest hit by Japan's recent tsunami find the courage to revive and rebuild as cherry blossom season begins.By opening with epic real footage of the 2011 tsumani that crippled a section of coastal Japan, the hook was set. One was compelled to stay glued for the duration to see how people could deal with such a calamity. The disaster was heartbreaking, and that came through easily enough. It was a challenge to human triumph and failure. And it brought a re-appreciation for the simplest things in life - - the scenes of the cherry blossoms, so pure and without evil. Very poignant movie.
- DirectorMorgan NevilleStarsDarlene LoveMerry ClaytonLisa FischerBackup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead, until now.Terrific documentary showing what we already knew: that backup singers are extremely talented, enjoyable, and likely more level-headed than the figure out front. Fun to identify faces that you've seen in the background and will see again in concert while quite incognito.
- DirectorAndrew NiccolStarsJustin TimberlakeAmanda SeyfriedCillian MurphyIn a future where people stop aging at 25, but are engineered to live only one more year, having the means to buy your way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. Will Salas is accused of murder and on the run with a hostage.High marks for original story line and also for using clever lines that (somehow) did not come across as predictable: Getting the "upper hand," "thank you for your time," "Got a minute." It was well enough done that I would consider seeing a second Justin Timberlake film. Too much beating-the-clock-by-seconds, though. While the chase scenes and chase themes were somewhat original, they were still Hollywood chase scenes, which are boringly repetitious.
- DirectorRoger MichellStarsBill MurrayLaura LinneyOlivia WilliamsThe story of the love affair between FDR and his distant cousin Margaret "Daisy" Suckley, centered around the weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of the United Kingdom visited upstate New York.I hope it was just the Bill Murray portrayal that made FDR seem wacky. Was this movie made to declare that it's likely all U.S. Presidents were lying womanizers? I suspect the idea was to tell the story that gave this movie a base: a woman who lived a somewhat secret life in the company of the President. Unfortunately, barely 20 percent of the movie stayed true to the story, and so much else was filler. Categorize this one as superficial entertainment, not historical drama.
- DirectorAng LeeStarsSuraj SharmaIrrfan KhanAdil HussainA young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger.High points for creativity and diversity. Low points for seeming to drag out the story just a bit too long. I became numb to the "will he" or "won't he" survival aspect after a while. The island scene was perhaps the most rediculous. But then, it was all a metaphor, was it not?
- DirectorPhyllida LloydStarsMeryl StreepJim BroadbentRichard E. GrantAn elderly Margaret Thatcher talks to the imagined presence of her recently deceased husband as she struggles to come to terms with his death while scenes from her past life, from girlhood to British prime minister, intervene.Excellent historical drama presentation and superb-as-always Meryl Streep performance. A movie where "it's all about me" was the appropriate way to present her rise to prominance, glory, and legacy.
- DirectorGabe TorresStarsStephen DorffChyler LeighJR BourneA Secret Service agent is held captive in the trunk of a car and endures mental and physical torture as terrorists attempt to extract information for their plot against the President of the United States.Brake? Most appropriate title would be "Twist and Turn." A limited cast and a limited set - - basically the trunk of a car or the back-end of some other sort of vehicle. Give it some marks for creativity of production and pretty good acting. Those positives are offset by a limited, somewhat predictable yet somewhat absurd story line.
- DirectorNelson McCormickStarsRob LoweWill RothhaarJack NoseworthyBased on Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard's best seller comes this shocking thriller starring Rob Lowe and Ginnifer Goodwin. As John F. Kennedy (Lowe) rises to become U.S. president, a former Marine grows disillusioned with America. When their paths ultimately cross, the course of history is changed forever as seen in this mesmerizing film about the assassination of JFK - and its chilling aftermath.Better than the book by the same name on which is was based. Well, "that was easy!" Skipping the salacious parts of the story was a good choice for the movie, sticking more closely to the point of the title. The movie had action, which the book lacked. Ginnifer Goodwin is quite good, which was expected after seeing her steal scenes in "Ramona and Beezus."
- DirectorBanksyStarsBanksyMr. BrainwashSpace InvaderFollowing the style of some of the world's most prolific street artists, an amateur filmmaker makes a foray into the art world.Smile, you're going to enjoy this. No, maybe it's just me. Sometimes I like the quirky nature of (certain) people, and this movie profiles an oddball that doesn't know the meaning of "can't" or the meaning of ... well ... much at all! Still he makes something of his life in the most unusual way, as a hobby first then a vocation. As a plus, this flick is a good basic primer on the world of graffiti, er, "street art."
- DirectorBarry BattlesStarsBilly Bob ThorntonEva LongoriaThomas Brodie-SangsterWhen three redneck brothers agree to help a woman save her godson from an abusive stepfather, they become targets on the run from an odd cast of characters.Thankfully this didn't last long. Nice for a few people to get a payday, but not much here. Move along, move along.
- DirectorDouglas SirkStarsGeorge SandersLucille BallCharles CoburnBritish police are after a serial killer who lures his female victims through newspaper personal ads and sends cryptic poem clues to the cops.What fun to see Lucy in a serious role!
- DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsRobert Downey Jr.Geraldine ChaplinPaul RhysAn elderly Charlie Chaplin discusses his autobiography with his editor, recounting his amazing journey from his poverty-stricken childhood to world-wide success after the ingenious invention of the Little Tramp.A challenging portrayal for Robert Downey Jr., but I think he pulls it off. Chaplin is a legend, so playing him in his life story would seem to be a foreboding assignment, but this is pretty well acted. It was great to see clips of the old films, and then to have those re-enacted in this show.
- DirectorLee DanielsStarsForest WhitakerOprah WinfreyJohn CusackAs Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.Sound storytelling is enough to offset the slow pace. They could have done a better job capturing the dawning of the age of Aquarius and other periods of the film, but I admit that was difficult for Hollywood in something that spans such a great length.
- DirectorMira NairStarsRiz AhmedLiev SchreiberKiefer SutherlandA young Pakistani man chasing corporate success on Wall Street finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family's homeland.While slow-moving, this story draws you into many worlds and your thoughts on them. It's a bit of history and a lot of personal exploration. I was surprised (and pleased) that the big "name" actors didn't get the top billing, as Riz Ahmed commands the screen from start to finish.
- DirectorStephen ChboskyStarsLogan LermanEmma WatsonEzra MillerCharlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.Quite good, even if not the landmark, blockbuster movie that some viewers pronounce it to be. The mix of quirky, serious, poignant, and heartful scenes is exceptional. Wonderfully written and well-acted characters. I could watch this one again.