2008

Why did I wait so long to see this film? All about Eve is an adult themed film (not porn) with great dialogue and wonderful performances by the entire cast. This is a great classic film that everyone should see once in their life.

Iron Man is not your typical action based comic book movie. Robert Downey Jr., with all his quick wit and obvious flaws is Tony Stark. The chemistry and dialogue between Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert was spot on. I enjoyed the trial period of Tony when he was working on his Iron Man suit and the robots on safety duty.

The Iron Man crew focused more on the story and the character development than the special effects. The special effects helped support the story and not drive it. This is a solid film from start to finish and the best comic book movie to date.

Mr. Brooks is a fascinating look at a serial killer and his psychosis. Kevin Costner and William Hurt play off each other brilliantly through out the whole film. I loved the way that this film looked at Brooks's murderous ways as an addiction and that he even goes to A.A. to try to cure it himself. Dane Cook as Mr. Smith was even an enjoyable supporting character. Smith catches Brooks after he murders a couple and wants Mr. Brooks to take him along on his next kill or he will turn him over to the police.

Mr. Brooks has multiple layers as we see his "Normal" life with his family, work and friends. This dual character is probably one of Costner's best roles to date. The climax of this movie has a great twist, worthy of Hitchcock, as Mr. Brooks coerces the characters of Mr. Smith and Detective Atwood into his twisted plans.

The character of Detective Atwood, played by Demi Moore, is the weakest part of the movie. Her scenes seem to slow the movie down and I wonder if it could have been a better character if another actor played it. Most of the deleted scenes on the DVD extras are of Detective Atwood. Maybe the directors realized her performance was not that strong and just kept her vital scenes in for pacing.

In Bruges is a great character driven movie with two hit men, a pissed boss, a skinhead poof and a midget. I mean a dwarf. You would have to look in a lot of alcoves to find a refreshing film with dark humor and well acted characters.

I am not a fan of period piece films, especially films about Elizabethan times. I took a chance because I loved Cate Blanchett's acting. This film has a solid story about the rise of Elizabeth to the throne of England. The best way to describe this movie is like the Godfather. Elizabeth rises to power but no one wants her there. Through a well crafted story Elizabeth changes into the Queen she needs to be and dispatches all of her advisories.

I watched the original 1957 version before watching this version. Both are great films in their own right but I felt the new version fleshed out the characters and the story better. I really like westerns but they come out so infrequently and if I have to wait for westerns, they should be as solid of a film as 3:10 to Yuma.

Stardust is a fun fantasy movie that reminds me of Willow or the Princess Bride. It has a strong supporting cast with Robert De Niro, Claire Danes and Michelle Pfeiffer. The virtually unknown Charlie Cox turns in a good performance as the hero, Tristan.

Tristan is a misunderstood shop boy who feels he is destined for something greater. While trying to woo Victoria, they witness a falling star that crashes on the other side of the wall. The wall is the gateway to a fantastic land of magic and mystical creatures. Tristan promises to get Victoria the fallen star before her birthday, as proof of his love to her.

After Tristan crosses the wall, he meets the Star (Claire Danes) and must get her back to his world before a witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) can steal her heart. Along the way, he meets many interesting characters, Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro) and two princes who are after the necklace the star is wearing, which is what knocked the Star from the heavens.

The locations and sets are visually pleasing and the CG effects are apparent but not distracting. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys cheeky humor and swashbuckling adventures.

I thought this was going to be another fantasy kid movie and it was nothing like that at all. This film deals with death, family and coming of age. I highly recommend this film.

I enjoyed this well directed, quirky comedy about teen pregnancy and the effects on Juno's world. I have to admit I am jealous of Diablo Cody, the screenwriter, on the success of her first film. Her first time out and she wrote a gem with realistic characters and witty dialogue and I will be curious to see her next film. My only complaint would be some of the forced slang Juno and her friends speak through out the film.

No Country for Old Men is a brilliant film that gripped me from the beginning. The Coen Brothers manage to tell a story of violence and crime in a beautifully artistic way. The very first scene with the deputy and Anton sets the theme, style and pace of the film. This film refuses to be classified in one particular genre. It has everything.

The characters had depth and a quirky sense of humor that you find in all of the Coen Brother films. Javier Bardem was cold, brutal and methodical as Anton Chigurh and I understand why he won the Oscar for his role. The hunter/prey chase of the film had me rooting for Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones to survive this sadistic tale.