The Artist

☆☆☆☆
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The Artist is an original (certainly not the first…but creative and non-traditional) black and white silent (for the most part) film that tells the entertaining story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) a silent film star whose career comes to a halt when the “talkies” come to Hollywood.

Writer/Director Michel Hazanavicius brings the silent film genre back to life with a whole lot of heart and fun…along with excellent performances by Berenice Bejo (rising star Peppy Miller) and Dujardin (George).
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The story is not new (hints of “Sunset Blvd”)

“The Artist” reminds us that we don’t always need all the special effects, over-the-top action scenes, and multi-million-dollar budgets to make a movie great.


Rated PG-13
1 hr. 40 min.

See the trailer for "The Artist."

War Horse

☆☆☆

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Based on the novel of the same name by Michael Morpurgo, “War Horse” is the moving story of Albert (Jeremy Irvine), a teenage boy who becomes attached to his family’s horse (Joey). The pair are separated by war…both going to battle.
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In many ways the movie is just too perfect (the overdone final shot of the family), and in other ways far from perfect (inconsistencies with the horses used).

Films use manipulation…but Spielberg over did it in this one.

Underdeveloped characters and storylines

Rated PG
2 hr. 26 min.

Visit the official website and watch the trailer!

We Bought a Zoo

☆☆☆1/2
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“We Bought a Zoo” (based on the book of the same name by Benjamin Mee) is the charming true story of a father (Benjamin Mee played with care by Matt Damon), in a struggle to keep his family together, buys a run-down house with a built-in “bonding project”…a zoo on the property.

Maggie Elizabeth Jones who plays Mee’s 7-year-old daughter Rosie is a natural in front of the camera.
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Director Cameron Crowe gives us a film that is just a little too sweet, and it begs the question: How much did the screenwriters enhance the real story?

The relationship of Benjamin’s 14-year-old son with a zoo employee doesn’t work…or even make sense.

Rated PG
2 hr. 4 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer!

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

☆☆☆
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Robert Downey (and some very good special effects) takes a so-so movie and makes it a little better in a return performance as detective Sherlock Holmes.
Joined by his faithful sidekick Dr. Watson (Jude Law) and gypsy Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace star of the Swedish version of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”), Holmes faces-off with Professor Moriarty who has an evil plan to assassinate key European diplomats creating a war…from which he plans to benefit.
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“…A Game of Shadows” is somewhat confusing and way too long.

Rated PG-13
2 hr. 8 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer.

My Week with Marilyn

☆☆☆☆

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Michelle Williams, in an Oscar worthy performance, embodies the iconic Marilyn Monroe…who while filming “The Prince and the Showgirl” meets, befriends, and spends a memorable week with Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) a young Oxford graduate working as an assistant on the film.

Even with the physical differences between Williams and Monroe, It’s easy to forget you are not watching Marilyn.
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I found myself wanting more than just a week.


Rated R
1 hr. 39 min.


Visit the website and see the trailer!

Young Adult

☆☆☆

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Charlize Theron’s Golden Globe nominated performance is the best reason to see “Young Adult”…the story of Mavis Gary (Theron), a writer who returns to her hometown and makes a desperate attempt to get her now married high school boyfriend back.

The ending offers some hope.
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Hard-to-watch movie with a pathetic main character that makes a viewer want to jump into the screen to keep her from screwing-up everyone’s life…including her own

Rated R
1 hr. 33 min.

Visit the official website and watch the trailer.

Shame

☆☆☆1/2

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“Shame” is the disturbing yet absorbing story of Brandon Sullivan (a raw performance by Michael Fassbender “X-Men: First Class”) a successful New Yorker trying to deal with an overpowering sexual compulsion.

When Sissy (another fine performance by Carey Mulligan) comes to stay with her brother he cannot tolerate her neediness, and her presence not only interrupts his secret life…it also reminds him of their terrible family history.



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The story and characters seem incomplete…more information about the terrible family history might add more depth.

Rated NC-17
1 hr. 39 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

The Muppets (2011)

☆☆☆1/2

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In this fun, heartwarming comedy Gary (Jason Segel), Mary (Amy Adams…in a role nearly as endearing as Giselle), and Walter (the Muppets’ biggest fan) leave Smalltown, USA for a Los Angeles vacation where they visit and end-up trying to help save the Muppet Theater…with the help of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, and Animal.

All-Star supporting cast (including cameos): Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, Alan Arkin, Jack Black, Billy Crystal, Zach Galifianakis, Kathy Griffin, Ricky Gervais, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, James Carville, Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Neil Patrick Harris, John Krasinski, Sarah Silverman, and more.
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Each time the characters mention that they are in a movie…it pulls the viewers right out of the story.

Rated PG
1 hr. 42 min.

Visit the movie website and see the trailer!

Like Crazy

☆☆☆1/2

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In this award-winning film (Best Picture Sundance Film Festival), Anton Yelchin (“Charlie Bartlett”) and Felicity Jones give strong and truly genuine performances as Jacob and Anna…two people that meet and fall in love while attending college in Los Angeles.
Being a citizen of England, Anna is expected to return after graduation to comply with the rules of her visa.
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Time jumps and montages keep viewers from really knowing the characters and understanding their developing love.


An ending that some will love and others will hate.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 29 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer!