Eat Pray Love (2010, U.S.)

Eh. The movie was better than the book, but that definitely didn't take much. And that's really about all I have to say about this movie. The scenery could have been exploited to much better effect. The writing could be stronger, but again, you have to consider the source material. I was most disappointed by the acting. I've always found Julia Roberts to be a very solid actress, and here she seemed weak. Whether it was the script or her, I couldn't say. I hope it was the former; on the other hand, her complete lack of chemistry with Franco or Bardem could have contributed.

I guess if you liked the book, you would like the movie. Otherwise, I wouldn't waste your time.

Rating: 2.5

Powder Blue (2009, U.S.)

Ugh, I don't know what to say about this movie. I think a brief plot summary should say it all: four Los Angeles residents (a mortician, an ex-con, a suicidal ex-priest, and a stripper) are brought together on Christmas Eve by a mixture of circumstances. Mix in a transsexual prostitute, organized crime, a terminally ill child, an absentee father, Jessica Biel in general, and Patrick Swayze as a strip club owner, and what do you get? A nasueating, over-the-top, poorly-acted melodrama that is basically a vehicle for Jessica Biel to take her clothes off. TERRIBLE.

I gather this was supposed to be a profound, gritty look at the intersecting lives of people with hard luck, and maybe a change or two here and there could have made a big difference. Better actors definitely would have. The lead character as a waitress instead of a stripper probably would have. Less forced writing may have too. Of the four main characters, Ray Liotta was wooden, Jessica Biel did her standard melodramatic overacting (and she did not look sexy at all, which she was clearly supposed to), Forest Whitaker was inconsistent, and Eddie Redmayne was (can you guess?) entirely brilliant.

In fact, I may have given this one 0 stars if it weren't for Redmayne—I would give him 5 stars on his own, which averages out to 1.5 for the entire thing. He plays this awkward, sweet mortician named Qwerty, of all things. Watching him tenderly put headphones playing ethnic music on a young deceased Hispanic woman made it worth watching this travesty. (Although watching his character character inexplicably fall for Biel's was quite painful.) The boy has talent; it's almost magical.

So unless you love Eddie Redmayne like I do, save yourself from watching this absolutely horrible piece of trash.

Rating: 1.5

Like Minds (2006, UK/Australia)

I definitely have to watch this one again, because even though I know what happened, I need to know why. This is a very dark, layered, psychological drama.

Det. Mackenzie (Roxburgh) calls Sally (Toni Collette), a forensic psychiatrist, into his investigation to psycholanalyze teenage Alex (Redmayne) to determine whether he could be guilty of murdering his disturbed/disturbing classmate Nigel (Sturridge). In a series of interview sessions, she learns the story of their twisted, complicated relationship, discovering that though dead, Nigel's psychological effect on Alex is undiminished. Despite all evidence to the contrary, she begins to seriously doubt his guilt.

Practically everything about this film, an independent drama by a first-time director, was incredible. One thing that especially struck me was the haunting score. It had this sort of ethereal female voice mixed with low orchestral instruments that truly captured the disturbing tone of the film. The dark lighting with a few splashes of color for emphasis further added to the tone.

The cast was a mixed bag. The school boys, Strurridge and Redmayne, were brilliant. It's true that I have a bit of a weakness for Redmayne, but he truly is a genius. In this role he walks the line between the innocently accused and the psychotic guilty, as the viewer isn't meant to know which he is until the end. Roxburgh was passable; he was a run-of-the-mill police inspector and didn't stand out one way or the other, which I expect was the intent. The most unfortunate cast member was Collette, who was supposed to be a great and compassionate psychiatrist but who was mostly wooden and underwhelming.

I was very interested in the title, which was originally Like Minds in the UK and Australia (it was a co-production) and was changed to Murderous Intent in the United States. The title can significantly change the way you interpret a film as you watch it, and it is especially true of this film and these titles.

Overall, this was an intense, brooding, disturbing, dark, creepy film, and it definitely stayed with me after I watched it. I get chills just thinking about it. This is another one I really need to watch again, knowing how it ends. I think I would have given this one a higher rating if the adults were better actors and some of the plot (mostly the secret society weirdness) wasn't so out in left field.

Those who are easily (or even not-so-easily) disturbed should beware, but if you love having your skin crawl, this is well worth watching.

Rating: 3.5

The Tourist (2010, U.S.)

I mostly avoided all descriptions, reviews, and previews of this movie, except for the very first teaser trailer. Basically, I didn't care what it was about and I didn't want to have my opinion influenced beforehand. I love Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, and I couldn't wait to see them in action together.

This was a cute movie. Not exactly the adjective one would expect for a spy film, but there you have it. It's also quite slowly paced for the genre, so if you don't go in expecting a nail-biter, you shouldn't be disappointed. Basically anything can happen when you mix romantic comedy with espionage. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, this is not. (Then again, Depp and Jolie don't have the chemistry Jolie and Pitt had—but who could?)

The story? Elise sits next to Frank, an American tourist, on a train going to Venice. Her intent is to trick the police into believing Frank is her elusive lover, who is a mysterious fugitive. Frank (who is a nerdy, socially awkward math teacher) finds himself pursued by both the police and the mobster who Elise's lover owes money to. Elise finds herself falling for Frank (which is helped along by the fact that her lover has continually let her down) and vice versa (though it causes him nothing but trouble). There are several plot twists that should probably feel sudden but instead feel almost like a mild surprise. Somehow, it works well.

The cast is fantastic. Depp and Jolie are great actors, especially in the roles of nerd and seductress, respectively. Paul Bettany plays the lead inspector, and I wish he had a more prominent role. There's just something about him. Toss in Rufus Sewell as the stranger, and it was a solid cast.

I also thought the score was fabulous. Even if the film was a bit slow for the genre, the music said, "This is a spy flick!" I do love James Newton Howard.

I'm looking forward to re-watching this, knowing where all the twists and turns go.

Rating: 4.0

Savage Grace (2007, U.S.)

So, here I go on my quest to see every Eddie Redmayne film I can get my hands on! It has to be said that in my (so far limited) experience, he makes any film he's in exceptional.

Savage Grace is based on the real life murder of Barbara Baekeland, wife of the grandson of the inventor of Bakelite plastic. So one goes into this film knowing that young Tony is going to murder his mother in the end, and that what the film is ultimately about is not the destination (as it were) but the journey. The problem is that with the scripting, Tony seems to have very little motivation until the final days before the murder. Yes, he has a pretty bad upbringing, especially considering he's a wealthy child, and yes, his parents alternate between suffocating and neglectful, but still. The motivation just didn't seem that strong, nor was his mental illness that apparent. Watching this, I wouldn't have been surprised to hear he murdered his father rather than his mother; that's how off it seems.

It's interesting that much of what is presented in the movie never happened according to some firsthand accounts, and even the murder wasn't staged as it was occurred actuality. In this case, I think the true story would have made for much more gripping drama.

Parts of this film were extraordinary. For instance, as they take snapshots of this affluent life in the 1940s through the 1970s, the subtle changes in dress, decoration, and the like are very well done. And of course, acting is key here. Brooks Baekeland wasn't very memorable and Tony's grandmother was good (though she played a minor role). Hugh Dancy stood out as a gay man who was a sort of professional society companion. Julianne Moore, a very talented woman, was both lovable and loathe-able as Barbara Baekeland, a perfect combination. And Eddie Redmayne, of course, was brilliant beyond words. Watching him murder his mother, pick up the phone to order takeout, and then eat out of the white Chinese box with chopsticks while sitting next to his mother's body is just chilling. The combination of vulnerability and ruthlessness, childishness and maturity, is especially striking when portrayed by his genius. He really makes this one worth watching.

Rating: 3.0

The Pillars of the Earth (2010, U.S.)

I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this mini-series was. I worried about it doing justice to the novel, one of the greatest books I've read in my life. Thankfully, I had the benefit of watching this several years after reading the book, so it wasn't as fresh in my mind as it could have been, leaving me able to judge the series for itself. It was definitely watered down, but not in a bad way. For instance, the novel largely lost my interest at the end when it spiraled into an obsessive religious recounting of the murder of Thomas a Becket, whereas the mini-series focused on the beauty and glory of the completed cathedral, a much more important aspect of the work, if you ask me.

It was a truly magnificent undertaking. The historic backdrop (I loved that Maud, a personal favorite historical figure of mine, was not made out to be a villain), the setting, the varied individuals who the viewer becomes invested in or quickly comes to hate, the perfect and often moving music (one perfect step shy of majestic, sometimes moving, often reflective of the monastic setting). Love scenes, tragic deaths, wife beatings, and the like were handled well, painting a vivid portrait but still tasteful and not too graphic. (Some of the battles I thought were a little much, with sprays of too-bright blood, but not enough to take away from the overall effect.) In addition to the beautiful scenery, the costuming (and makeup in particular) were incredible. They did a wonderful job of subtly aging characters. And even though the plot was significantly condensed to fit into 8 hours, the writing was often beautiful and the plot clear. Wonderful.

However, the truly overwhelming part of the series was the actors. Ian McShane and Donald Sutherland were as great as I have come to expect. Several actors, particularly Natalia Wörner (Ellen), Hayley Atwell (Aliena), and Matthew Macfayden (Prior Phillip), who were previously unknown to me, were pleasantly surprising and perfect for their roles. Rufus Sewell, who I've seen in many films and always respected, never would have crossed my mind as the man to play Tom Builder, but seeing him I can't imagine anyone else playing the role anymore. He was spectacular. This entire ensemble had such chemistry, melding together to truly bring the world of Kingsbridge to life. You feel the frustration, fear, love, anger, hope, faith, and all the other powerful emotions driving the lives of these men and women as they struggle for happiness in an unfair world. Almost magical, really.

But the real star of the show was Eddie Redmayne (Jack Jackson). I think I'm in love. (In other words, I am greatly anticipating following his career.) I had seen him before in minor roles in Elizabeth: The Golden Age and The Other Boleyn Girl (they sure do love him for British historical!) and something about his face struck me enough to remember him from one to the other to this one. He truly has the most incredible face, beyond perfect to portray Jack. He has very strong jaw and cheek bones (okay, a weakness for me!) that give him just enough sexiness to explain the girls' attraction to him, but he also has the freckles and red hair and puppy dog eyes that give him the air of an innocent, sweet little boy who is originally a near-mute for shyness. Really, what a face. Anyway, as I said I've only seen him in minor roles before, so this is the first time I've been able to see some real acting, and saying I was impressed would be a huge understatement. He was Jack Builder. I can't explain it better than that. From the near-mute young man to the growing artist to the man in love to the fulfilled and successful builder, he played every aspect of Jack's maturing character with such artistry. I was really in awe. (I probably don't need to tell you that there will probably be many Eddie Redmayne films reviewed here in the next few weeks.)

I can only say that this series was sensational. I struggled to stretch it out, and I managed to split it into three days. It was difficult, because I was so engrossed I wanted to completely submerge myself in it, but I loved it so much I wanted to make it last. So three days wasn't too bad!

I can't do it justice. If you love historical drama, well told stories, exceptional acting, beautiful settings (I didn't even mention how extraordinary the cathedral was!), you must watch this. Powerful, wonderful stuff. I just loved it.

Rating: 5.0

The Kids Are All Right (2010, U.S.)

I have some lesbian friends who told me this was a great movie, the first "mainstream" film they've seen that portrays same-sex parent families as families like any other, and I do agree with that analysis to some extent. To begin with, Nic and Jules and their kids Joni and Laser seem like any other family, eating dinner, playing Scrabble and ping pong, having fights, and getting ready to send the oldest child to college. In some ways, it seemed healthier than the average family—with two moms, there was much more communication, a very positive part of the family.

Of course, the main arm of the plot is a problem that would be much less common in a straight family—the kids search out and meet their sperm donor, who becomes a part of their lives and even starts an affair with one of their moms. (This part really threw me. She cheated on her wife with a man?! Horrible.) This created quite a soap opera feel without getting too trashy.

I loved a lot of this movie. There were some funny parts and some parts that made me tear up. I didn't care 100% for the way they treated Paul (the donor), acting like he purposefully broke up their family when meeting them wasn't even his decision (though he did act poorly quite often and was generally a self-centered big-head). Still, I thought it was a touching story about what makes a family and how we struggle though the tough parts because we love each other. Jules' monologue on marriage—"If only I read more Russian novels, I might..."—was especially priceless.

I liked the cast too. Julianne Moore is great. Mia Wasikowska (who I only know as Alice in Wonderland) was perfect as the older kid. And I don't know if I've ever seen an Annette Bening film, but perhaps I should make an effort. She was fabulous in this movie, and I loved her especially in this good ensemble.

Open-minded people will enjoy this family's story. I doubt closed-minded people would even watch it, and if they did they'd find something wrong with it, but I thought it was lovely.

Rating: 3.5

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010, U.S.)

I can't believe how much I loved this movie. It was completely unique, fresh, nerdy, and fun. From the opening credits (which have little cues to the rest of the movie, if you pay attention), it was just so fun. I can't think of a better word to describe it.

A lot of movies based on graphic novels either don't have the graphic novel feel or else they try too hard. This one was perfect. It made good use of a panel-like technique, but not too often. It was just enough to maintain the feel and emphasize certain shots without being overkill. The same went for "sound effects" written in during fights, for ringing phones, etc., as well as other video game-esque additions, such as lives up, power bars, and the like. One of my particular favorites was an angry girl who cursed a lot and always had a censor bar and beep appear over her mouth to cover F-bombs. Scott asks her how she does it; the character's awareness and acceptance of such abnormal elements in their lives added that much more to the movie.

Basically, the story is quite simple. Scott Pilgrim is a 22-year-old in Toronto who was dumped a year ago by a girl who became famous with her band (while his continues to struggle). He dates a 17-year-old Chinese Catholic schoolgirl. Then he falls for an American Amazon.ca carrier named Ramona, and he has to battle her seven evil exes to be able to date her. The story worked really well. For one thing, the characters were remarkably realistic considering the fantastical situation they're in. (Also, great supporting cast—Anna Kendrick, Chris Evans, Jason Schwartzman, and especially Kieran Culkin.) Secondly, the fight scenes with all the exes were excellent and, yes, fun. They were intensely choreographed so that they didn't seem violent at all, but rather the bloodless fighting you see in video games. Lots of flashing lights, special effects, and then the bad guy dissolves into a pile of coins.

The music was also something special, channeling video game music from the very beginning, with the beeping Universal theme. It also had a strong overlapping presence in the characters' world, like when Scott beats his head against a pole, echoing the rhythm of the music.

This movie is great fun for the generation of early 20-somethings who live in an irresponsible world filled with music, video games, and romantic angst, but also for those of us on the fringes (for instance, those of us who have close friends or family in this world). Really, this movie is great fun for anyone, and I am shocked and pleased to recommend it highly.

Rating: 4.5

The Bad Mother's Handbook (2007, UK)

This was a really surprising and wonderful film, especially for a made-for-TV deal. It's about being a mother (as the title implies), but I think it was also about being a daughter too. Karen is a 33-year-old teacher's assistant who wants to go to Paris, and when she gets her birth certificate for her visa, she finds out she was adopted. Meanwhile her daughter Charlotte, who was born when Karen was 16, breaks up with her boyfriend when she finds out he's cheating, only to find out that she's pregnant.

That's what it's about, but it's not really about what it's about. It's more about the relationships, how they process their feelings, how their relationships with their mothers affected their own motherhood, why they made the choices they did. What they do becomes irrelevant, or perhaps inevitable. It's subtly and beautifully done. I especially loved the grandmother, who was obviously suffering from some sort of dementia and chattered to imaginary companions all day, mostly about her memories of Karen as a girl.

I think all mothers and daughters can appreciate this film, even if you weren't adopted, a teen mother, or a combination or product of these situations. Men play a very limited role in this film. Even Daniel (a lovable loser, portrayed in a perfectly understated performance by Robert Pattinson), who becomes Charlotte's friend, helper, and quiet but strong support, is a very unobtrusive presence for such a central figure.

In fact, the whole thing had an understated simplicity that you just can't help but appreciate. I teared up a few times, I'll admit. A moving, authentic work.

Rating: 4.0

Metropia (2009, Sweden)

I have to copy the plot summary from imdb to make this make sense: In the near future, oil reserves are nearly depleted and Europe is connected by a series of underground tunnels. While navigating these tunnels, Roger hears a voice in his head. Seeking a way to rid himself of the voice only leads Roger deeper into a bizarre conspiracy of control at the highest reaches of government.

This is rather oversimplifying, but it's difficult to explain. As you can see from the poster, this had the most interesting animation style I've ever seen. I couldn't quite decide whether it was 2-D or 3-D. The correlation between voice actors and characters was interesting as well. Roger looked vaguely like Vicent Gallo, while Stefan looked even more like Alexander Skarsgård. Yet these two characters also looked like each other a bit (which is a part of the story, not coincidence). So that was all pretty neat.

The world that they created in this dystopian future Europe was fascinating. The superior public transportation system, which is such a positive aspect of European life now, becomes the symbol of the worst parts of life in the future. Consumerism (and objectifying a specific woman in commercials for a specific product) gives the corrupted leaders a means of control over the populace. The colors are mostly black and gray, and only a few things stand out. Most noticeably Roger's dull red jacket, the model's brilliant blond hair, and the bright blue color of the shampoo she's advertising.

I can't fully do this film justice. The concept, the mood, the animation, the voice acting—all were superb. I highly recommend it, especially if you like something a little different every now and then.

Rating: 3.5

Babies (2010, France)

This was a very simple, sweet, engaging documentary. It's about four babies in the first year of their very different but very similar lives in San Francisco, Tokyo, Mongolia, and Namibia. The contrast between countries was interesting, to say the least. I do wonder how realistic it was, for two reasons. First, people may act differently in the presence of a camera in their lives. (Perhaps this isn't true of babies, but it would be true of their parents.) Second, editing can make footage a lot different than the reality. However, it seemed pretty real to me.

Inevitably for this type of documentary, the four lives were distilled into fairly one-dimensional portraits. The San Francisco baby's life alternates between having very hands on parenting and being left alone. Both of her parents were present in her life, with lots of reading, music, toys, activities, etc. The Tokyo baby was surprisingly similar to the San Francisco baby. For my taste, there were way too many bright colors in Tokyo, but otherwise it seems to be nice to be a baby in Japan. The Mongolian baby lives in an isolated area. You almost never see the father, and the mother appears only slightly more often. His brother constantly hits him until he cries, and cows, goats, cats, and roosters are running all over him all the time. It's a miracle nothing bad happened to him. The Namibian baby's mothers seems to sit around all day with another woman, mostly doing nothing but occasionally talking or grooming. (They must do more—perhaps new mothers are given "time off.") Of all the babies, the Namibian baby had the most unhygienic upbringing you could imagine, but of the four he almost seemed the happiest, rarely crying.

In all the footage they used, I felt like they could have included a bit on bedtime in addition to the rest of the day (mealtimes, bathtime, playtime, etc.). I did like how they showed the present day "babies" (around age five?) in the credits. Also, the music was a bit weird, oddly chipper, but it was somehow the perfect soundtrack to unify four lives in very different geographies.

This is oddly enthralling considering the lack of dialogue, plot, or even the "message" (or central theme) of most documentaries, but it's really worth watching, no matter your taste.

Rating: 3.5

Flickan som lekte med elden (2009, Sweden)

Inevitably, a film adaptation of a complex, multi-layered suspense/mystery novel of the outstanding caliber of Larsson's work just isn't going to have the same impact. True, a lot was too oversimplified (for instance, the sex trade angle, a huge part of the novel's plot, never made sense in the film). Also, the fight between Paolo, Miriam, and the German was way too *bang* *pow* super-choreographed.

Still, a lot of it carried over well. It was very dark and suspenseful. I still think the casting for Lisbeth was excellent, though Mikael was on and off. The music was eerie and dark, perfect to set the appropriate tone. Good stuff, especially if you haven't read the book but even if you have.

Chilling, powerful, engaging, and very Swedish. Good stuff.

Rating: 3.5

Letters to Juliet (2010, U.S.)

I thought that this movie looked really cute, and I like Amanda Seyfried quite a bit. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed.

The whole thing felt way too contrived, with stilted dialogue that almost bordered on wooden at times (and had a false ring a majority of the time). Overall, the writing was terrible. Aside from the dialogue problems, a lot of the plot was just too much of a stretch when it could have been much smoother. Parts were too easy, convenient, and basically unrealistic. I think "oversimplified" is the best word I can come up with.

The actors weren't bad. Seyfriend wasn't her best, but still cute. Her fiance was a Mexican actor playing a goofy maybe-Italian, which was a very strange choice. They do get extra points for casting Vanessa Redgrave, who is an absolute film goddess. I did like the male lead, who had very good comedic timing. He had a very strong (and to my untrained ear, accurate) British accent, but every now and then it went a little weird—turns out he's Australian. He also had something in his face (though not his acting) that reminded me of Heath Ledger, which was odd.

Anyway, this was a sweet concept that was terribly executed. Very unfortunate.

Rating: 2.0