This is 40

My View:   This is 40 (2012)   Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are dealing with the reality of marriage with children. Their life isn’t what they thought it was going to be, and now that Pete’s record label is having trouble, so is their marriage. I liked parts of this film, some of which are extremely funny, but the film, overall, feels really disjointed, as if Judd Apatow, who wrote and directed the film, decided to put skits together to make a film. I liked Leslie Mann’s performance, as she has the right mix of craziness and desperation for the role. As usual, Melissa McCarthy, in a very small role, comes in and steals the film from the rest of the cast. Be sure and stay for the first part of the end credits.  There are several outtakes where McCarthy just goes on a rant that had me crying it was so funny.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   This Is 40 Website

Family Faire:  Cirque du Soleil: World’s Away (2012) A young couple are separated and must travel through the wonderful and mystical world of “Cirque du Soleil,” determined to be reunited, all in the magic of 3-D. It’s basically the best bits of a bunch of the Cirque shows (they use eight different Cirque shows including Love and Ka) interwoven with a very thin story line.  It's a film, though, that is very beautiful and worth seeing in 3-D. It doesn’t quite have the impact that the live shows have, but the film come close, and some of the acts are astounding.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Cirque du Soleil: World's Away Website

The 50 (A Movie From My Best/Worst Film of All Time)

#11 Best Film

Napoleon  (1927)  This silent film is an absolute masterpiece of cinema. Abel Gance wrote, directed and edited this film about the rise and fall of Napoleon. Using camera and editing techniques that were years ahead of their time, the film is a stunning experience to watch. Gance sometimes used three cameras to convey a scene and the film, when properly shown, at times uses three projectors side by side, that fill up the screen, sometimes with one panoramic shot, and at other times the three cameras show different scenes. Gance also hand tinted some of the film, which make the scenes more dramatic. This is truly one of the great films of all time.   Napoleon Info

Forgotten Film:  When a Stranger Calls (1979) The film begins with a babysitter (Carol Kane) who gets threatening phone calls. She then discovers that a madman is in the home of the family that she is babysitting, and he has murdered the two kids.. She is attacked by the madman and is nearly killed, but is saved by the police. Years later, she is now a wife and mother, who, once again, is getting threatening phones calls. Could the madman be back? This is a suspenseful, scary film that horror movies today could learn from. Kane is splendid in the role and wonderfully conveys the emotions and horror of being targeted by a killer. And the film has one of the great horror movie lines of all time, “The calls are coming from inside the house.”    When a Stranger Calls Info

In Case You Missed it (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Pitch Perfect (2012) Of all the movies that I have seen in 2012, this film surprised me the most. Music is Becca’s (Anna Kendrick) life, so much so that she wants to move to Los Angeles to become a music producer. Her father, who is a professor, though, wants her to get an education first, so he makes a deal with Becca – stay at the university for one year and join at least one group activity. So, Becca joins “The Bellas,” an all-female A Cappella group as they work to reach the A Cappella national championship. The only problem is their main competition is an all-male group on their own campus called, “The Treblemakers.” Anna Kendrick is exceptional in this film. It’s fun, great music and the quality of the humor In this film is superior to any of the other comedies that have come out this year.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Pitch Perfect Website

In Memory of Ed Woods (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Parker (2013) Jason Statham plays a thief who is double-crossed and left for dead. He plans for revenge and asks Jennifer Lopez for help. Jason Statham plays the same role over and over and over.    Parker Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Cirque du Soleil: World’s Away: Tricycle Operator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Gangster Squad (2013) This film has a horrible title but a great cast that includes Emma Stone, Sean Peen, Ryan Gosling. It takes place in 1940’s L.A., where the cops are trying to keep the East Coast Mafia from taking over the city. Gangster Squad Website 

Until Next Time!

Silver Linings Playbook

My Review:  Silver Linings Playbook (2012) Pat (Bradley Cooper) has lost just about everything – his wife, his job and his house. After spending eight months at a court mandated mental institution, he returns to his childhood home to get his life back on track and lives in the attic, a small cramped space above his parents’ (Robert DeNiro and Jacki Weaver) room. At a dinner party thrown by his best friend Ronnie (John Ortiz) and his wife Victoria (Julia Stiles), he meets Victoria’s sister, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a widow. At the dinner table the two discover they have something in common – they are both struggling with mental problems. And so begins an unlikely friendship. This is a funny, moving film that deals with a problem that many people and many characters in this film struggle to understand – mental illness. Director David O. Russell does a masterful job of keeping the right touch of laughter combined with the scary reality offamily and friends dealing with a person who isn’t always stable. This film drags a little until Tiffany’s appearance at a dinner party, where she and Pat argue about what drugs they have both taken to treat their illnesses. Lawrence brings both an energy and a vulnerability to the screen, driving the story along, and sometimes at break neck speed. The film has an incredible cast with Julia Stiles, Robert DeNiro, Jacki Weaver and Chris Tucker shows a wonderful comic touch as Pat’s friend from the institution. This film is worth your time and money, especially for Jennifer Lawrence’s performance, a sure Oscar nominating role.    My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Silver Linings Playbook Website

My View:  Life of Pi (2012) A young man survives a shipwreck only to be lost at sea on a large lifeboat with a Bengal Tiger. Now he must survive using his wits and the teachings of his father. This is a film that you need to see in theatres because its beauty almost spills off the screen. Suraj Sharma plays Pi, and he gives a multilayer performance. The Tiger is mostly animated, but it's so well done that you never question its authenticity. This is deeply spiritual film and shows a young man embracing his religious beliefs to make it through this disaster. And, after seeing this film, you will want to talk about it.   My Rating: Full Price    Life of Pi Website

My View: Red Dawn (2012) When Washington state is invaded by North Koreans, a group of teenagers, led by a marine (Chris Hemsworth) who is home off leave, take matters into their own hands and start fighting back using tactics from the more famous insurgent groups of the past. This film lets the viewers down on almost every aspect including its horrible direction with action sequences done with camera work so shaky that, at times, you have no idea what is happening. Chris Hemsworth gives almost no emotional range in this film with his very wooden performance. The original film was fun and full of life, but this film is dull and boring.    My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again.    Red Dawn Website

Family Faire: Rise of the Guardians (2012) When the evil spirit, Pitch (voiced by Jude Law), attacks Earth, the Immortal Guardians fight to protect the children. In this wonderfully animated film, the Guardians are made up of Santa Claus (voiced by Alec Baldwin), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), Sandman (who doesn't talk), and The Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman). Jack Frost (Chris Pine) has been asked to join the group, and he may be key to defeating Pitch and his plan to conquer the world. I really liked this film with its animation and use of 3-D to great effect. It's a funny, fun film to watch with a new take on all of our childhood heroes. I especially enjoyed Alec Baldwin as a tattooed, sword wielding Santa Claus and Jude Law as the delightfully evil Pitch.    My Rating: Full Price    

Indiefest:  Anna Karenina (2012) In 19th century Russia, Anna Karenina (Keira Knightley) is a married woman with a small boy and is living a content life with her aristocratic husband. Then she meets Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) with whom she proceeds to have an affair, and it’s a relationship that will change her life and the lives of everyone around her. This is a beautiful film that is worth seeing for the interesting staging that the director, Joe Wright, uses - characters interacting with each other on a theatre stage. As the cast move from scene to scene, the stage transforms behind them in an almost magical ways, becoming a ballroom one moment and a train station in another. Keira Knightley does a touching job as Anna, but it's Aaron Taylor-Johnson who steals the film as the brash Count Vronsky.    My Rating: Full Price    Anna Karenina Website

Forgotten Film: Baby Boom (1987) J.C. Wiatt (Diane Keaton) is a high powered businesswoman so dedicated to her job that she is known as the “tiger lady."  She is happy in her career making big deals in New York City and living with her boyfriend when her world is changed.  A relative dies, and J.C. is given their baby. She, at first, tries to handle the job and the baby, but. after losing a big promotion, she decides to shake things up and move to a small town in Vermont. There she finds that the country life she has always envisioned doesn’t quite meet up to her expectations. Keaton gives a funny and smart performance and has great chemistry with her love interest in the film, the local vet, played by Sam Shepard. The film is full of rich, wonderful characters which make it one you will want to see over and over again.    My Rating: Full Price    Baby Boom Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Rise of the Guardians: Ethnic Percussion

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: This is 40 (2012) Judd Apalow’s sequel, sort of, to Knocked Up, with Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, and Melissa McCarthy. Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl are not in this film, which is probably a good thing.   This is 40 Info

Until Next Time!