January 2011
22 posts
Animal Kingdom
The bite doesn’t match the hype in this confusing, Aussie-crime drama. Guy Pearce sighting with good accent & bad mustache can’t save it.
3 tags
Anthony Hopkins...
O.K., I’ll bite…new Exorcist-style Hopkins pic looks intense…Charlie Rose had him on recent interview show and in setting up the Q&A they played a career mash-up of Hopkins flicks…and they included something called “Slipstream”…
Does that movie belong in ANY retrospective…ever?
2 tags
Which Way Home
Oscar-nom-doc; illegal immigrant struggle thru eyes of Mexican-train-hopping kids. Human toil is punch in gut as is realization that U.S. can’t stop it.
Ebert buries 3-D...Bravo!
http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/01/post_4.html
Tom Hooper Q & A
I was able to sit front row in an intimate Q & A w/ The King’s Speech, Oscar-nominated director, Tom Hooper, this week: Soft spoken, detail-oriented, and younger than you think. Looks like a British James Cameron on the rise; Cheers, Gov’nor!
Solitary Man
Douglas plays a ruined NY car dealer/father whose libido, ego and pride keep him burning bridges. Awkward, droll scenes lead to neither a resolution nor point; Total waste of an ASC.
Winnebago Man (doc)
Proof positive that You Tube stars - in few minute flashes of madness - can’t hold together an 87 minute film. That said, PLENTY of laughs in this one.
Knight and Day
Cruise “recruits” Diaz to assist him in protecting a high-powered energy source. Long on action, short on explanation; It’s like Mission: Impossible Light, w/out the smarts. Fun watch, though.
The King's Speech
BoTS about stammering English Monarch, his speech therapist, and Britain on brink of WWII; ASC delivers Oscar bait w/ superb acting, writing & direction…looks great, too!
Big River Man (doc)
Bloated, drunk, Slovanian goes mad while swimming worlds longest rivers. Stays gorged on whiskey, wine, & cultish support of ex-Wal Mart worker & son. Really!
Social Network
Harvard nerd steals idea, gets sued, makes billion$. Great script & cast show what youth, brains and spite can do with the internet.
JEFF BRIDGE$
Jeff Bridges’ two movies currently out have together grossed over $300 million. That’s not including the car voice-over money, on top of that. Kinda makes you forget about K-Pax, yeah??
Golden Globes
Bravo Ricky G!
No problem w/ Social Network & Kids are all right splitting top two “Besties”
Game Over: Kasparov & the Machine
I love chess, but - man! - this is one dry doc about IBM machine vs man battle w/ annoying whispering narration & silly JFK conspiracies thrown in. Yawn!
Get Low
Thanks to PittBoy87 for invite to screening of “Get Low” last night and Q&A with Duvall afterwards. If I had a vote: Duvall, Murray, Spacek AND Black would all get noms! It’s that good.
RIP Peter Yates
As a director, he set the bar high for cinema car chases with Bullitt. Also nabbed some Oscar noms for Breaking Away & The Dresser. 82 years young…quite a legacy! RIP…
Black Swan
Mental Swan Lake lead becomes WAY too attached to the role. Cassel is classy, Kunis steals scenes, Ryder superfluous; Hershey & crazy Portman just too much. (posted by Pittboy87)
3 tags
Handsome Harry
Indie train-wreck…vanity project for lead actor, Jamey Sheriden. Wife wanted to shut off 5 minutes in…I lasted till the 9 minute mark. ‘Nuff said.
tumblrbot asked: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INANIMATE OBJECT?
2 tags
The Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowski: Finally caught this Coen brothers cult-classic…I get it. All hail the Dude. Better if you like hallucinogens…or so I’m told.
Restrepo
Restrepo: sobering doc links current war w/ “impossibility” of Civil War & WW1&2. Meetings w/ “village elders” in Afghanistan shows flaw in “myth of committee” decision making.
1 tag
Tron Legacy IMAX 3-D
TRON:Legacy (IMAX 3D): Bridges and son have to fight way out of a computer program w/ HOT Wilde in tow. Audio/Visual stunner where reality, plot come in 2nd to F/X and tech-talk. (posted by Pittboy87)