The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett star in this fascinating tale about a man who continually grows younger rather than older. The film opens with the title character being born. Benjamin is a baby, but his body features - bones, skin, and senses are that of an 86 year old man. His disgusted father abandons him on a door step that happens to be that of a retirement home. A few years into his life, Benjamin notices that something quite unusual is happening to him…..he is getting younger! From that time on the movie takes on the epic feel of watching one man's extraordinary life a la Forrest Gump. However, outside of the fact that he is aging backwards, not much more happens to him that I would label extraordinary. This is where I felt the movie dropped the ball or should I say the Oscar for best picture. It lacked those whimsical moments that lures you even more into the characters' lives, a moment that coats you with cinematic dust. The main emotional artery of the story is Benjamin reuniting with the love of his life as they cross paths in their late 30’s. It is a sad concept to be utterly in love with someone knowing you will not be able to grow old with them. The film explores the themes of love, death and aging, but again I felt it lacked something. It was missing a closing argument. One aspect where the film excelled was the make-up and special effects used to depict the varying ages of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett throughout this epic. They both looked great as teenagers with smooth youthful skin as well as elders with wrinkles and graying hair. This movie had so much going for it. It is one of my favorites of the year, but with a little help it could have been at the very top of my list!

Ry's Rating: B +

If this movie had parents they would be: Forrest Gump & Big

With a runtime of 159 minutes

This film is rated PG-13

Gran Torino

Gran Torino: Clint Eastwood pulls double duty as he stars and directs in this latest feature. Eastwood plays Walt, a recent widower who insists on living in the “old neighborhood” even though the neighborhood is infested with thugs and gangs. His new neighbors are Hmong, an ethnic group originating from Southeast Asia. With Walt being an old Korean War veteran who still looks through the eyes of 1950’s America….this does not make him happy. When Tao, the young man from next store is harassed by neighborhood thugs, Walt steps in to save the day. He does not so much want to save Tao as much as he cannot bear the decline of his neighborhood that he has lived in for so long. However, his neighbors flower Walt with gifts of gratitude for saving their son. This does slowly open Walt up and he finally befriends his new neighbors. What makes this so entertaining is the character Eastwood plays – he is a cross between Dirty Harry and Michael Douglas in Falling Down. He is set in his ways and is not very rational when it comes to solving certain issues. Eastwood also flings racial slurs and one-liners out like nobody’s business. The movie is actually much funnier than I would have ever imagined. On the other hand, I thought the film was a little too formulated. I could tell Clint was buttering us up before the drama in the final act. The story is not all that original, but Clint’s outstanding character makes up for it.

Ry's Rating: B

If This movie had parents they would be: Falling Down & The Karate Kid

With a run time of 112 minutes

This film is rated R

Milk Review

Milk: Sean Penn stars as Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office. I myself am not a big fan of Sean Penn, but I have to give credit where credit is due - he might just be the best actor working today. He proves this again with the role of Harvey Milk. He does such a good job that you are not even conscious of his outstanding acting, you just believe he is that character. What makes the movie even more impressive is that the rest of the cast is outstanding as well. James Franco is excellent as Harvey’s partner. It is without a doubt his best performance to date. Plus, Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin also pour in a couple of great supporting roles. Harvey Milk was elected to San Francisco public office in 1977 and was the voice of the people who had a right to be heard. In 1978 he stood up to Proposition 6, a California ballot measure aimed at preventing gay people and supporters from working as teachers in public schools. He was assassinated 3 weeks later. I am not giving anything away by telling you this. The story is not one of suspense, but of hope. The hope that his message is disseminated and helps open people's eyes. The story is extremely powerful and hits home at a time when Proposition 8 (banning of gay marriage) is front page news. This film is directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting). He structures the movie in a way that lets us know the accomplishments of Harvey Milk while getting to know the man himself. This is what makes the movie. It is what makes the message so powerful. Harvey is a person just like you and I, a person living life, loving the people close to him…why shouldn't that person have the same rights as the rest of us?

Ry's Rating: A-

Parents: Brokeback Mountain & Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

With a runtime of 128 minutes

This film is rated R

Australia Review

Australia: Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman star in Baz Luhrmann’s sweeping epic about the land down under. All of the elements were in place to make the classic Hollywood saga, but yet the story ultimately felt empty. This is not to say that the movie is a total bust. Putting this film on the “perspective scale” you see that it was trying to be a lot more than the standard tale. Australia may have come up short of its goal, but it still lands above much of the junk in theaters today. The movie opens up with Lady Ashley (Kidman) traveling from England to Australia to see her long absent husband at the cattle ranch he purchased. Just before she arrives, her husband is murdered leaving her sole proprietor of the cattle ranch. She can either take the easy way out and sell the cattle business to her evil competitor or keep the business going on her own. It is almost a 3 hour movie…..she picks the latter. In doing so, she must figure out a way to heard 1,500 cattle over treacherous land to the Australian port of Darwin. There she will be able to sell her cattle to the army who is preparing for World War II. Enter Drover (Jackman), the best damn cattle drover in all of the land. With him in the lead and a cast of 5 others including Kidman and an aboriginal boy, the adventure begins. That is only part one of the story. When they finally make it to Darwin there is controversy about who the little boy should stay with since he is of white and aboriginal descent and has no parents to care for him. Then there is the empire of Japan who comes in and bombs Darwin in hopes that it will cut off supplies to the Australian military. Through all of this, the characters finally realize who they truly love and care for…now the question is whether they can save each other from danger. The movie is filled with wide shots of the beautiful landscape and even has some moments of awe during both the cattle herding and war scenes. Luhrmann also finds a way to incorporate the song “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. I thought the acting was good – Kidman better than Jackman and the boy above them both. I think two things that could have helped strengthen the film would be tweaking the story so that we cared more about the fate of the characters and adding a little more of Luhrmann’s creative directing style to separate it from the norm. The story was grand, but the emotion was shallow. I liked it, but wanted more…

Ry's Rating: B-

If this movie had parents they would be: Out of Africa & Pearl Harbor

With a runtine of 165 minutes

This film is rated PG-13

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire: An extraordinary motion picture from director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting). The premise of the movie is one that will have want-to-be screenwriters asking “why didn’t I think of that”. The story centers around Jamal Malik an Indian teen that grew up in the slums of Mumbai (Bombay) India and now finds himself on the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The film is brilliantly structured. After each question that Jamal is asked on the show, the film cuts to a flashback of his rough childhood. In each circumstance we get an understanding of why Jamal knows the answer to the question being asked. The flashbacks also reveal more about Jamal’s life and his resilience to succumb to the evils around him while he pursues his true love, Latika. Latika was born in the same slum as Jamal, but circumstances separate them on more than one occasion. As Jamal answers more questions, the story completes itself by leading up to the 1 million dollar moment. The film is more than just rooting for the underdog, it is ultimately a salute to love and to the beauty of life itself. The cinematography, editing, and music have to be noted as they turn this remarkable story into a masterpiece. With the movie taking place in India over the span of roughly 15 years, it is easy to see the correlation between Jamal’s life and the progress the country made during that time. Simply put, this is one of the best films of 2008. It will make you want to cheer in the aisle. So if the question is: Ry, what should I go see at the theater this weekend? Slumdog Millionaire ......and that is my Final Answer.

Ry's Rating: A

If this movie had parents they would be: Born into Brothels & Quiz Show

With a runtimes of 118 minutes

This film is rated R

Religulous

Religulous: Bill Maher goes out on a ledge and dare I say - questions the validity of religion. He does so in a very Michael Moore kind of way, using tongue and cheek humor to prove his point. He opens up with a very strong statement – “Religion is a detriment to the progress of humanity”. This is a very fascinating point of view and one that most people are scared to touch, even with a ten foot poll. Over the next 90 minutes, he highlights how silly it is for people with any amount of intelligence to “literally” believe in some of the more bizarre stories of each religion. As I sat and watched him talk to people about various religions, I could not help but feel uncomfortable. I think that is fact enough that questioning the idea or truth of religion is taboo in our society. This is way too touchy of a subject for me to take sides on. I will just say that I am glad to see that someone finally had the guts to come out and make a film that will actually get people talking about the role religion should play in our day-to-day lives, politics/government, and humanity as a whole. This is in no way an attempt to smear a particular religion and favor another. Bill Maher is looking at the larger picture and questioning all religions and their motives. He also looks at those who profit in many cases from people who have strong faith. Not to be overlooked is the fact that this a very funny movie and this is coming from a guy who does not care for…..no, actually I should say hates Bill Maher. In the last 5 minutes of the film he gives his closing argument: so many religions speak of the Armageddon coming, but the fact is that the Armageddon may come as a result of people not being able to sort out their religious differences. This movie hopes to help people put everything into perspective…….lets pray it works.

Ry's Rating: B+

If this movie had parents they would be: The Passion of the Christ & Bowling for Columbine

With a runtime of 101 minutes

This film is rated R

W.

W: An Oliver Stone film about George W. Bush……is this going to be a thrashing or what? To my surprise, Oliver Stone took the straight road instead of taking his normal path that always bends around to the left. The result is a tamer look at W. the man with more of an emphasis on explaining the motives of his actions than making fun of him. Prior to seeing the film, I thought it was going to be a political satire. A satire it is not, making the film all the more interesting. Stone made a film that takes a much more serious look at the 43rd President of the United States. Josh Brolin plays George W. who did an excellent job playing him at many different stages of his life. The film goes back to George’s sloppy college days and does not try to conceal his partying lifestyle. These younger Bush scenes, drunk and out of control, are the funniest moments of the movie. Throughout the course of the film we see the strained relationship between George W. and his dad George Sr. (played by James Cromwell). The movie’s thesis is based on this relationship, suggesting that many of W’s actions were based on his desire to prove something to his dad and make him proud. The story ends with Bush leading the country into the Iraq war. It is these scenes with his cabinet (Cheney, Powell, Rice, Rumsfeld) that I found the most insightful. In the end I came away knowing a little more about Bush and strangely….I felt sorry for him.

Ry's Rating: B

If this movie had parents they would be: Nixon & Fahrenheit 9/11

With a runtime of 131 minutes

This film is rated: PG-13

The Wrestler - early review by CK

The Wrestler: Last Friday The 44th Annual Chicago International Film festival gave the Midwest its first look at “The Wrestler", directed by Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain) and starring the great Mickey Rourke (Angelheart, Sin City). Rourke plays professional wrestler Randy “Ram” Robinson 10 years past his prime. We follow him (the camera is literally behind Ram a good portion of the film) as he tries to regain old wrestling glory while attempting to mend a personal life that has left him broke and alone caused by his career as a professional grappler. Marisa Tomei also stars as his favorite stripper and Evan Rachel Wood as his daughter. We’ve seen this story before, but what sets this movie apart from the others is Rourke’s performance and the minimalist, slice-of-life filmmaking approach.

A Q & A with Aronofsky followed the screening. I asked him what his approach was when coming to the set everyday. He told us how “Pi”, “Requiem”, and “The Fountain” was his first trilogy and “The Wrestler” will start his next series of films. He talked about reinventing his filmmaking approach. I can’t wait to see what’s on the horizon. The Wrestler opens in December.

CK

The Brothers Bloom

The Brothers Bloom opened the 44th Chicago International Film Festival. Writer, director Rian Johnson and Oscar winner Rachel Weisz were on hand to talk about the making of the film. Weisz commented that not many comedies are thrown her way and this film presented a chance to show off her comedic side……and we are glad she did!

The Brothers Bloom: Rian Johnson, the creative force behind the superb 2006 film Brick has another success with his sophomore outing The Brothers Bloom. As he did with the film Brick, Johnson creates a distinct type of universe to tell his story, this time almost giving off a Wes Anderson type of vibe. The story centers on two brothers who make a living conning very rich people out of money. The brothers are played by Mark Ruffalo (Stephen) and Adrien Brody (Bloom). For their last con they target a beautiful heiress named Penelope (Rachel Weisz). It is her inventive character that makes the film so funny and also so charming. Of course, during “the hook” of the con, Bloom and Penelope fall in love with each other. However, instead of following all other con movies, this movie goes in another direction. The story ends up not focusing on some big con at the end or a “who conned who”, but rather focuses on the relationship between the two brothers and the relationship between Bloom and Penelope. The Brothers Bloom is a very funny movie with the humor being more of the witty variety. This is due to the three main characters being so well written and very well developed. I am not trying to con anyone when I say you should see this movie….it is just an easy one to enjoy!

Ry's Rating: B+

If this movie had Parents they would be: The Darjeeling Limited & The Sting

With a runtime of 109 minutes

This film is rated PG-13

Rachel Getting Married

Rachel Getting Married: Anne Hathaway stars in this intimate, unorthodox family drama. We are introduced to her character, Kim as she is leaving rehab to attend her sister Rachel’s wedding. The beginning of the film is set-up well as we can tell Kim is still not in a healthy state of mind to be around a large group of people and of course there is a herd of family and friends staying at her house for the wedding. This scenario leads to some humorous moments during the early scenes of the picture and all the while keeps unlocking portions of Kim’s troubled past. The drama unfolds more as we learn how the whole family is scarred because of Kim’s drug abuse and a fatal mistake she made while she was high. The story is not an easy one to tell and a lot of credit has to go to Anne Hathaway for her performance. She brought an understanding to the character. She did not overplay the role and she saved her best for the movie’s most crucial scenes concerning the guilt she has to live with every day of her life. Now it would not be the movies if the wedding was not turned into a multicultural event. This film does not even attempt to explain all of the affluent and diverse people that attend the wedding. The wedding celebration scenes with live music and dancing go on way too long and take away from the emotion I had vested in the story. When the lights went up we had a good drama with an excellent performance, but I felt if the story had a tighter grip…..we could have squeezed much more passion out of it.

Ry's Rating: B

If this movie had parents they would be: SherryBaby & Margot at the Wedding

With a runtime of 113 minutes

This film is rated R

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem star in Woody Allen’s latest comedic take on love and lust. Two best friends – Vicky and Cristina (Johansson) plan to spend a summer in Barcelona studying the culture. Early into their stay they are approached by a Spanish painter - Juan Antonio (Bardem), who offers or I should say suggests that they go on a trip with him and partake in….um…cough “extracurricular activities” together. Cristina is immediately drawn to his passion and is more willing to accept the offer than her friend. However, in due time both girls separately fall prey to his enthusiasm for love. The situation then gets turned on its head when Juan Antonio’s crazy ex-lover (Cruz) shows up. In typical Allen fashion all of the characters are refined, sophisticated, and into the arts. Allen’s strong suit is his sharp writing and his ability to get his characters into outlandish situations and this film is full of those moments. The film is equipped with a narrator from start to finish. Although he has some funny lines, I felt Allen could have done much more with this element. The ending of the movie was also a little bit of a let down for me as I did not feel satisfied with any of the characters’ evolutions. This is probably the best comedy Allen has penned in 15 years, but it is still far short of his greater works.

Ry's Rating: B -

If this movie had parents they would be: Wild Things & Melinda and Melinda

With a runtime of 96 minutes

This film is rated PG-13

Bullets of Interest

• This is the 39th film directed by Woody Allen
• It is the 3rd time he has worked with Johansson
• 1st Woody Allen movie to take place in Spain

The Clone Wars Review

CK, an esteemed film director and a good friend of mine was lucky enough to catch an early screening of the new Star Wars animated film - his guest review is below. Thanks CK


Star Wars, The Clone Wars: There is a new Star Wars film, sort of. This Friday the newest entry into the most successful film franchise of all time will be released at your local multiplex. The Clone Wars is a 90 minute amped up Saturday morning cartoon for the big screen. The project was initially developed just for television, but supposedly once Executive Producer George Lucas saw the first three episodes he thought they looked so good that they would work as a feature. He was right for the most part. The plot centers around a kidnapping conspiracy involving the son of the infamous Jabba the Hutt (taking place sometime between Episode 2 and 3). It’s not an epic feature type story-line, it was never meant to be. Those looking for the 7th gigantic Star Wars film will most likely not find it here. What you will find is some great looking action, nice animation, a lot of wonderful nods to Episodes 4-6, and a good introduction to a promising family series. Lucasfilm has done a nice job of balancing the series between young kids and the adult crowd who grew up with the franchise.
CK Rating: C+ / but as far as launching a new TV series: B

If this movie had parents they would be: Star Wars & Atlantis: The Lost Empire

With a runtime of 98 minutes
This film is rated PG

X-Files: I want to Believe

The X-Files: I want to Believe: Being a huge X-Files fan, I was very pleased to see the series get another big screen installment. Another plus was hearing that this film would have nothing to do with the on-going alien conspiracy and would instead be a “stand-alone” thriller. In its prime, The X-Files' stand-alone episodes were basically mini sci-fi movies. The idea of expanding the budget and scope for the movie houses seemed like a slam dunk. However, it did not seem to me that this latest X-Files movie really expanded the budget, nor the scope of the story. It was basically like watching a TV episode in the theater. This is not the worst thing though as the chemistry between Fox Mulder and Dana Scully is still one of the best. I also enjoyed how easily they caught us up with the character’s lives and what they have been doing since we last saw them some 6 years ago. The plot was average for X-Files standards, focusing on psychic visions from a priest to help find a missing FBI agent. The villains who kidnapped the agent and the reason for it was perverse, but again I would have liked something a bit creepier. I also would have enjoyed a little more screen time with the villains to fill out their characters. A sub-plot involving Scully’s connection with her young patient at the hospital gave the film a deeper meaning as did her relationship with Mulder. In the end, I liked the movie and was happy to see the duo in action again, but I did feel the series had more potential than what we saw in I Want to Believe.
Ry’s Rating: C+

If this movie had Parents, they would be: The X-Files (1998) & Dirty Pretty Things

With a runtime of 104 minutes
This film is rated PG-13

The Dark Night

The Dark Knight: Best Batman movie ever? Absolutely. Best superhero movie of all time? Almost (answer may change to “yes” after another viewing). This latest bat adventure is different from previous superhero films in that it works more as a crime drama than an over-the-top action flick. Even without any of the bat gadgets or any of the bat stunts you would still be engrossed in the strong storyline - the gadgets and stunts are just a big plus. As for all of the hype concerning Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker = Deserved. He owned this role. Equally impressive and not to be overlooked is Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon whose character was at the heart of the film. Aaron Eckhart plays Harvey Dent/Two Face who I thought did an excellent job as well. In fact, Christian Bale who is an amazing Bruce Wayne was probably the weakest of the four. This is not a knock on Bale, but rather praise for the whole cast. The movie opens up with the Joker about to cause havoc on Gotham City’s mob scene. Meanwhile Batman is working closely with Gordon to rid the streets of crime. They are trying to go for a big blow against the mob instead of just making small arrests. Furthermore, Gordon and Batman are ready to start working with Harvey Dent, a district attorney with the same goal as them. Can the three of them work together to make Gotham safe again or can the Joker pit them against each other to cause even more disorder? “Holy 4-star movie Batman!”

Ry's Rating: A-

If this movie had Parents they would be: Heat & Batman (1989)

With a running time of 155 minutes

This film is rated PG-13

Wall-E

Wall-E: It really seems like the team at Pixar can’t make a bad movie. Their latest offering, Wall-E may just be the best of the bunch. At its core, Wall-E is a simple and innocent love story. The movie is set about 700 years in the future when mankind has left Earth because the planet has become overrun with their own garbage. Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter, Earth Class) is the only robot still working to clean up the planet until another robot named EVE arrives on her own mission. Wall-E may not know exactly what EVE is trying to discover, but that does not stop him from making a discovery himself….love! The adventure then blasts off to space where we see how the human race has evolved, or really how they have un-evolved. The film works on multiple levels. Besides the love story, it also serves as a good sci-fi story and all the while is extremely amusing from start to finish. Neither of the lead robots has much dialogue so much of the storytelling and comedy is done in visuals and is reminiscent of the great Chaplin/Keats silent films. Meanwhile, the animation is done so well that you almost forget you are watching an animated movie – this is especially true for the 1st half of the picture. It is also the 1st half of the movie that reels the viewer in and makes you care so much for Wall-E and EVE. It is a film that gets the label “A movie for the whole family”. While this is mainly true, I do not think it is for younger children as I am not sure it will hold their attention. But anyone over the age of 5 will agree, Wall-E is one of the year’s best!

Ry's Rating: A-

If this movie had Parents they would be: 2001: A Space Odyssey & The Little Mermaid

With a runtime of 107 minutes

This film is rated G

Iron Man

Iron Man: The barrage of superhero movies continues, this time with Robert Downey Jr. playing the man underneath the iron. In most circles (minus the hard core) Iron Man is a second or even a third tier superhero (lets just say he would probably be parking cars at Superman’s birthday party). In fact, I really did not know anything more about him other than: Iron suit painted red & gold. The movie is formulated much like all of the other opening acts in superhero franchises. The first half of the movie unveils how the superhero came to be -- then a bad guy emerges with like powers and is defeated just before the credits roll. It comes down to likable characters and an interesting plot. In this case, Iron Man is blessed with both. Downey is absolutely perfect as Tony Stark, an arms dealer who is taken hostage in Afghanistan while on a business trip. He is on top of the world up until this point - being best described as a rich, cocky, womanizer, alcoholic. The story behind the origin of the iron suit and thus the birth of Iron Man is extremely well done and interesting. It is also not very hard to see the correlation between the movie’s message and the current world perception of the United States. After his experience in Afghanistan, Tony Stark realizes what kind of responsibility comes with being a superpower in the world – that weapons should only be used as a last resort. Terrence Howard and a bald Jeff Bridges also turn in a couple of top rate performances. After his film debut, it is safe to say Iron Man will not be parking cars at Superman’s next bash…….he may actually have a seat at the bar!
Ry's Rating: B+

If this movie had parents they would be: Lord of War & Batman

With a runtime of 126 minutes
This film is rated PG-13

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones 4: It has been 19 years since we last heard the crack of his whip and seen his famous fedora. The biggest question from fans was in regards to Harrison Ford’s age and if he could still pull off Indy in the way we would like to see/remember. I feel the film did an excellent job of addressing his age, but not overplaying it. Yes there are laughs supplied from Jones being older and not as capable, but for the most part Indy is still Indy and that is still fun to behold! The story gets going instantly - Communists, who have replaced the Nazis as the evil villains have captured Indiana in hopes he could lead them to a supernatural treasure. Just when Dr. Jones is about to wash his hands of the situation a young man named Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) arrives with a letter that only Indy would be able to understand, thus hurling him back into the adventure. The chemistry between LaBeouf and Ford is what really carriers the picture. Furthermore it is the element that separates this adventure from the previous three and also the justification for why Indy came back to the big screen to begin with. The action is done in that classic Indiana Jones style. You can expect astonishing car chases, creepy caverns, and some good old fashion fist fights. The film even supplies some extremely corny moments, although I believe all Indy film are wounded by this. In the end….was it worth the 19 year wait? Probably not, but a chance to catch up with an old friend like Indy…..definitely worth a trip to the theater.
Ry's Rating: B

If this movie had Parents they would be: Raiders of the Lost Ark & The X-Files

With a running time of 122 minutes

This film is rated PG

In Bruges Review

In Bruges: The title might keep people away, because like myself they probably have no idea what it is or means. Bruges is a town in Belgium near the border of France and is the setting for the film. Colin Farrell plays a hit man who, with his partner is ordered to hide out “In Bruges” for 2 weeks or until things settle down in London, the city where their last “hit” went awry. Now in order to make the movie entertaining you have to fill the town of Bruges with a cast of unique characters for the hit men to get tangled up with. The film does a good job of this, from an attractive street thief to a midget who is there shooting a film. The movie is much funnier than one would expect. I would say the humor is similar to that used in (giving one of my parents away) Get Shorty, but only better. Being in Bruges actually becomes a running joke throughout the film and is played up perfectly. Where I felt the film came up short was the unraveling plot. After a strong set-up, the story seemed to get away from the director – with the final chapter seeming pieced together just to get to some kind of resolve. Colin Farrell, while very funny, did not sell me on the dramatic aspects of his role. Ralph Fiennes shows up three-quarters of the way through and absolutely shines in his small role. Overall, the good does outweigh the bad enough for me to recommend. This is not a movie to rush out and see, but you will be pleasantly surprised if you happen across it.

Ry's Rating: C +

Extra Insight from Jen: I on the other hand really liked Colin Farrell "In Bruges" (pronounced broozh). I am not a Farrell fan, but I felt he was very funny in the childish aspect of his role and surprisingly believable during his more dramatic moments on screen.

If This movie had parents they would be: Get Shorty & Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels

With a runtime of 107 minutes

This film is rated R

Top 10 of 2007

Ryan: I love going to the movies! Furthermore, I really love going to the movies and seeing something exceptional. Each year there are always a handful of movies that stick with you long after you have seen them - movies that are a cut above the rest. 2007 was blessed with some outstanding films in a couple of different genres. Below you will find my Top 10 Films of the past year. Alongside me during all of the movies that I see is a person with an amazing taste in cinema – Jennifer. Her opinion and insight into the movies….is…well…..ALLLMOST as good as mine. Jen? (Her Top 10 is included as well).

Jen: Oh, I see. Now that I have edited YOUR comments above for spelling and grammatical errors, I can get to the matter at hand. It was a pleasure to make countless trips to the movies in 2007, especially the latter part when most of the noteworthy films were released. I see that both of our lists included No Country, Blood, Juno, Once, Charlie Wilson, SuperBad, and Atonement even after being locked in separate rooms while we compiled our lists. I suppose that evidences that these seven flicks were at the top of their game in 2007. I am glad that you included Sicko which had me laughing and crying. Do you think it has a shot for best documentary? The Kite Runner was definitely one of the better films of the year, but it just didn't compare to the book. Bourne was a fun watch and was left nicely open-ended. I was surprised that you gave Mike C. the axe. I thought it was different than the typical thriller/lawyer films that we have seen in recent years and what great performances by Clooney and Wilkinson! Sweeney was dark while being humorous and Helena Bonham Carter almost stole the show from Johnny Depp. Finally, Waitress was so charming and unpretentious - what an original script that showed us quite a different side of pregnancy (Knocked Up did this as well). Thanks for inviting me to share my comments. I look forward to our next trip to the theatre!
Jen

Ryan's Top 10

10. Atonement

9. SuperBad

8. Sicko

7. The Kite Runner

6. Charlie Wilson's War

5. Bourne Ultimatum

4. Once

3. Juno

2. There Will Be Blood

1. No Country for Old Men

Jen's Top 10

10. Sweeney Todd

9. SuperBad

8. Atonement

7. No Country for Old Men

6. Charlie Wilson's War
5. Waitress

4. Michael Clayton

3. There Will Be Blood

2. Once

1. Juno

There Will Be Blood Review

There Will Be Blood: Fifteen minutes into Blood, without a single word yet spoken, you know you are in for a unique film experience. You instantly see that Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest offering is not just a wedge of entertainment, but a piece of art. When you want to be serious about “art” in the world of cinema, one actor’s name comes screaming to mind - Daniel Day-Lewis (DDL). DDL plays Daniel Plainview, an oil man in turn-of-the-century Texas. His greed leads him to any town or ranch where oil has been discovered. He eventually finds his way to the Sunday family ranch where oil is so plentiful that it has been spotted seeping out of the ground. Here Plainview meets Eli Sunday, a man who preaches the word of God. As the oil wells are constructed, the two of them slowly become adversaries. There Will Be Blood is a study of many things including greed, hatred, trust, jealously, and faith in God. Watching DDL deteriorate and transform his character because of greed is like spying on Dali while painting – a genius at work! Matching the exquisiteness of DDL’s performance is the powerful score supplied by Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood (I know what you are thinking, this coming from a huge Radiohead fan). The music becomes another character in this sprawling epic while providing in depth foreshadowing. In my opinion, it was the innovative score that really put this film on a higher pedestal. I think it is very important to know that the runtime is roughly 3 hours. Also, the pace of the film is much slower than the norm, however I am not saying that is bad. In fact, in this case it is a good thing because it gives you time to cherish the detail and thought put into this tour de force.
Ry’s Rating: A-

If this movie had parents they would be: Wall Street & 2001 A Space Odyssey

With a runtime of 158 minutes
This film is rated R

Charlie Wilson's War Review

Charlie Wilson’s War: Tom Hanks, Phillip Seymour Hoffman (PSH), and Julia Roberts punctuate the big screen story of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan. Charlie Wilson (Hanks) was an eccentric ladies' man allowing the movie to be furnished with plenty of humor based on that angle. Funny – yes, but the subject matter was quite serious. Wilson was the congressman behind supplying Afghan rebels with weaponry capable of combating the Soviet forces that had invaded their country. His mission had to be covert as any sign of U.S. involvement risked the dropping of the word “cold” from the term “cold war”. Aiding Wilson’s mission was CIA agent Gust Avrakotos (Hoffman). PSH is just about the best character actor working today and his performance is nothing short of amazing. Mixing humor with such an interesting topic made this one of the more enjoyable, entertaining, and informative movies this season. The way the film celebrates Charlie Wilson’s achievement is pitch perfect in that we are conscious that the long-term consequences of his actions turn out to be destructive. The movie's message is relevant to Afghanistan, but also the current happenings in Iraq. The final quote of the movie stings with fury: “These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we f**cked up the endgame." – Charlie Wilson
Ry’s Rating: B+

If this movie had parents they would be: Wag the Dog & Lord of War

With a runtime of 97 minutes
This film is rated R

Into the Wild movie review

Into the Wild: Sean Penn steps behind the camera to direct the real life adventure of Christopher McCandless. McCandless had some intriguing ideas about society and the way people should live their lives. After graduating from college at the top of his class, he decided to give away his entire savings ($24,000) to charity, dispose of all of his ID's and credit cards, and live off the land in Alaska. He was not running from some killer cyborg – he just wanted to live life his way. The movie tells the story of not only his time in Alaska, but of the people he met on his journey along the way. The film was beautifully shot and had a couple of good performances from Bill Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden who play Christopher’s parents. Playing the lead, McCandless – is Emile Hirsch. He did an adequate job, but failed to reel me in emotionally. I wanted to care more. I did like the way Mr. Penn decided to put the movie together – jumping between the time Christopher is in Alaska by himself and the voyage he took to get there. In addition, the use of voiceovers by the many people Christopher touched in his life brought some strong sentiment. I just felt the movie needed more of that. I think it was a case of too many people with not enough emotional ties between them to give me the payoff I wanted.
* * * or Grade: B-

If this movie had parents they would be: Grizzly Man & A River Runs Through It

With a running time of
This film is rated R