People close to me have autism, so I watched with an eye to how realistic it was. The idea that someone has to live in an institution is outdated, but a lot of the behaviors Dustin Hoffman did when under stress rang true to me.

It sort of reminded me of an unintentional buddy/road movie. I’ve seen ...]]> Can you believe I never saw Rain Man? I’d seen clips with the mandate to watch Judge Wapner, or else! And, I’d seen bits and pieces here and there, but never the whole thing through. It’s a lot better than I thought it was. Duh.

People close to me have autism, so I watched with an eye to how realistic it was. The idea that someone has to live in an institution is outdated, but a lot of the behaviors Dustin Hoffman did when under stress rang true to me.

It sort of reminded me of an unintentional buddy/road movie. I’ve seen the excuse used before that they must drive cross country because one of them is afraid to fly, but nobody does freaking out at the airport quite like Hoffman.

Whatever happend to Cruise’s girlfriend, Valerie Golino? She was great. It looks like she’s mostly doing French and Italian movies. Guess I need to check out one of those. Maybe Un Baiser Papillon or Danza Della Fata Confetto?

Watch a woman with nearly a hundred children give birth offhandedly while washing dishes. Listen to her husband sing about selling the kids for medical experiments because he can’t afford to feed them. Then, listen to the kids themselves sing a beautiful, cherubic song about every sperm being sacred to explain why mom and dad didn’t manage to use ...]]> Before there was South Park, there was Monty Python. If you enjoying hearing ridiculous and offensive songs sung in a cheerful manner, you’ll love this. If you’re easily offended, run away right now. I like the movie and it even offends me.

Watch a woman with nearly a hundred children give birth offhandedly while washing dishes. Listen to her husband sing about selling the kids for medical experiments because he can’t afford to feed them. Then, listen to the kids themselves sing a beautiful, cherubic song about every sperm being sacred to explain why mom and dad didn’t manage to use contraception and avoid having quite so very many of the little darlings.

Monty Python movies are something to watch every so often just to laugh for no reason (or every reason). They make fun of everyone, from Catholics to Protestants and anyone in between. Overall, this is a pretty sexist movie. They even have a scene about how offensively sexist it is, too. Some parts definitely remind you of little boys who didn’t quite grow up, but in so many ways, this is a great movie.

It was interesting to see how her marriage to playwright Arthur Miller was shown and also the way the British actors did (and didn’t) get along with her. Seeing Olivier be perturbed by Monroe was amusing, ...]]> A lot of people like this movie based on the diaries of a man who knew Marilyn Monroe for a week. It didn’t really do much for me, honestly. Judi Dench was great (when isn’t she?) but the rest…not so much. I felt like it was one of those movies where I’m supposed to like it just because it’s based on someone famous with a dramatic life and too early death.

It was interesting to see how her marriage to playwright Arthur Miller was shown and also the way the British actors did (and didn’t) get along with her. Seeing Olivier be perturbed by Monroe was amusing, but not amusing enough to make it all worthwhile. All in all, the whole thing had more of a tv movie of the week feel than of a film. Watch this if you’re really bored or if you’re an over the top (verging on scary) Monroe fan. Otherwise, waste your time another way. Don’t you need to clean under your sofa?

Once the story develops though, you are basically left with this concept: Women who say no really mean yes. Or, should I say, oui. There are a couple of corollaries, if a guy stalks you and says threatening things, he’s really nice underneath. Also, if a guy humiliates you in front of others and make you cry, he’s a good guy too. Take your love advise from this movie and you’ll ...]]> I was really excited to see this film. The beginning is great, very modern. It’s been compared to Woody Allen’s Manhattan. If it were a music video, I’d watch it every time it came on.

Once the story develops though, you are basically left with this concept: Women who say no really mean yes. Or, should I say, oui. There are a couple of corollaries, if a guy stalks you and says threatening things, he’s really nice underneath. Also, if a guy humiliates you in front of others and make you cry, he’s a good guy too. Take your love advise from this movie and you’ll wind up dead and buried under a building somewhere.

There are other subplots and some nice moments, but this isn’t one I’d watch again. (Though Juliet Binoche is fabulous as always.)

If you want a taste of Paris without going there (or sitting through this) watch the trailer. It’s just the right length and very charming.

A blond, twenty year old intern has an affair with the soon to be president. Also, by the way, with one of her bosses on the campaign. She has no important duties and no other women on the campaign have serious roles. Then, she gets pregnant, oops, by the almost president, has an abortion and oh, gosh, kills herself or accidentally overdoses, your choice.

The best part was the behind the scenes political shenanigans between the men. ...]]> I love George Clooney. And, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and all the other great names in this film. But, you don’t make a great movie just by stuffing it full of good actors.

A blond, twenty year old intern has an affair with the soon to be president. Also, by the way, with one of her bosses on the campaign. She has no important duties and no other women on the campaign have serious roles. Then, she gets pregnant, oops, by the almost president, has an abortion and oh, gosh, kills herself or accidentally overdoses, your choice.

The best part was the behind the scenes political shenanigans between the men. Overall, I couldn’t believe I was watching a movie in this day and age where the main female on the campaign’s claim to fame is getting pregnant and dying. I guess women don’t need to be smart to be in politics, just too naïve to use contraception.

Horn becomes obsessed with a key he finds in his dad’s closet and literally maps the city trying to uncover what he’s decided is a mystery his ...]]> What would you do if your dad died in the World Trade Center, you were a kid, and you were the last person to hear his phone message right before he died? Well, you might get a little anxious, a bit OCD and who knows what else. In real life, Thomas Horn was a Jeopardy winner, when a casting agent saw him. He’d never acted before but either he was born to it, he had very good direction, or both.

Horn becomes obsessed with a key he finds in his dad’s closet and literally maps the city trying to uncover what he’s decided is a mystery his deceased dad wants him to unravel. Along the way he meets a couple hundred New Yorkers including one he never expected to meet. Max Von Sydow, as always, is great. So was Viola Davis. I haven’t seen her in much besides The Maids. Made me want to see more of her work.

Her neighbor, a writer, is somewhat similar, having his bills paid by his wealthy, married girlfriend. Probably my favorite scene in any movie happens when her neighbor wants to buy her a gift at Tiffany’s. Until then, she’s just eaten her breakfast walking down the street ...]]> Loosely based on the Truman Capote short story, Breakfast At Tiffany’s is on my list of watch once each year films. Audrey Hepburn plays Holly Golightly a New York glamour girl who loves to party. In the movie, she’s never exactly named a prostitute, but she always manages to wangle $50 “for the powder room.”

Her neighbor, a writer, is somewhat similar, having his bills paid by his wealthy, married girlfriend. Probably my favorite scene in any movie happens when her neighbor wants to buy her a gift at Tiffany’s. Until then, she’s just eaten her breakfast walking down the street in front of it after being out all night on the town. Inside, he can’t afford to buy any jewelry. Finally, he realizes he could afford to have something engraved, but nothing he could buy at Tiffany’s. In what is a true Hollywood moment, the clerk agrees to have their Crackerjack ring engraved instead.

Things to watch for that you might miss: The cat named “Cat” and Buddy “Beverly Hillbillies” Ebsen. What to fast forward over: The horrible, racist impersonation of a Japanese man that Mickey Rooney does as Holly Golightly’s downstairs neighbor.

Not helping matters is the entirely insipid movie surrounding him. Like most Nicholas Sparks adaptations, the film is dripping in mawkish melancholy and formulaic plot points. In addition, the movie is also surprisingly aimless. While at first it seems like Efron’s PTSD ...]]> The Lucky One is based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, and represents a career gamble for lead Zac Efron. After being labeled as a mere teen heartthrob, Efron has managed to break past the mold of more mainstream fare like 17 Again and Me and Orson Wells. Unfortunately, The Lucky One only highlights his limited range and vacant eyes.

Not helping matters is the entirely insipid movie surrounding him. Like most Nicholas Sparks adaptations, the film is dripping in mawkish melancholy and formulaic plot points. In addition, the movie is also surprisingly aimless. While at first it seems like Efron’s PTSD will be the source of the main conflict, after about half an hour the movie just disposes of that angle in favor of an entirely generic ex-husband antagonist. The movie also cheats by having Efron’s character withhold vital information for no logical reason. Despite being the lead, Efron’s character starts and ends the film as a one-dimensional veteran. If anything, Taylor Schilling’s supporting character has more of a traditional arc, although that’s a moot point since it’s entirely too conventional, and Schilling’s acting is too hysterical, even by the standards of Nicholas Sparks adaptations. Blythe Danner is also on hand solely for cutesy reaction shots.

I would hesitate to call the film bad as much as confusingly incompetent. The big emotional pay-off is contrived and feels like an afterthought, the acting is lacking, the writing is lazy, and the themes are clumsily heavy handed at times (there’s a groan inducing reference to Moby Dick of all things). The whole film fails to justify its existence. Even if you like schmaltzy romantic dramas, there’s little to recommend here. It’s not the worst but it is certainly the least interesting.

Definitely, Maybe uses a slight narrative twist (mainly that the romantic heroine is one out of three possible characters via flashbacks) to cover up that it’s an otherwise basic big studio romantic comedy. However something funny happens; it all works. The actors are good, the story ...]]> Remember when Ryan Reynolds was young and fresh, untainted by the stench of failed projects? Before Green Lantern and The Change Up, Reynolds was a Canadian import with serious potential, leading man good looks, and smarmy humor. Alas, that was then and shall never be again. At least he has Definitely, Maybe under his belt.

Definitely, Maybe uses a slight narrative twist (mainly that the romantic heroine is one out of three possible characters via flashbacks) to cover up that it’s an otherwise basic big studio romantic comedy. However something funny happens; it all works. The actors are good, the story flows, the humor lands and there’s an honesty engrained into the proceedings. With retrospect, the whole films plays like a feature length precursor to the show How I Met Your Mother. It shares a similar plot device and a understanding of the behavior of people in their mid 20’s. It’s confident enough in its strong writing and acting to not try to shove in stagey comedy or unnecessary schmaltz. I wouldn’t call it subtle, but it is smart and charming enough to justify itself. Also, it wisely avoids falling into the trap of making Breslin’s precocious preteen either a too-smart-for-a-child mentor or the human equivalent of a Beanie Baby (because that’s totally relevant). At first she comes off as an excuse for the writers to make some meta jokes about the banality of their romance, but carefully morphs her into a functioning and believable character.

If I had one gripe it would probably be Reynolds. He’s funny and decent as the leading man but I never quite bought him as a father. Either way, the film is charming and that’s all it needs to be.