AAR

[merryweather]

[quote="Tee"]

[Tee]

You're right. I did not know it was her, nor did I catch the resemblance as you did. Oh, well--par for the course!

[Susan/DC]

Inside Job -- Saw this with my youngest son on Christmas Eve. Good thing I was in the holiday spirit or I would have been thoroughly depressed and angry. This documentary is about the recent disaster in the financial services industry. Because I work in finance, a lot of it wasn't really new. What's depressing is seeing it all at once, and what makes me angry is that the people who caused the financial meltdown don't care -- why should they, when they get to keep their multimillion dollar bonuses? The film clearly shows how short-term incentives for individual traders beat long-term good for the firm and its shareholders every time.

Rabbit Hole -- Not exactly cheery but wonderfully acted. Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart play a married couple whose young son has died, and the movie shows how, 8 months later, they are dealing (or not) with his death. The actors are extremely well-matched, both in looks (I think they are both gorgeous) and their ability to strike sparks and interact in the way married couples do. They know how to hurt and how to comfort, and despite their closeness they at times confuse and misunderstand each other. I think I liked it so much because, in the end, they act honorably and remain committed to each other. Saw this one with my oldest son, a therapist, and he liked it too.

[Zachary]

This morning I just finished watching Gulliver's travels. As always, Jack Black made it so spectacular. Most of the scenes are really hilarious and rad. Quite simply, the movie is very impressive, gorgeous, funny, inventive and hugely entertaining.

[Susan/DC]

It's back to work tomorrow, so I made sure to see one more movie before my end of year vacation is over. The Fighter is based on a true story. Christian Bale has received a lot of Oscar buzz for his role as Dicky Eklund, older brother and trainer to Micky Ward. Dicky's own career came to a crashing end when he became addicted to crack. It was interesting to compare Bale's acting to that of Mark Wahlberg, who plays Micky. When you see the credits at the end of the movie there's a brief clip of the two brothers, and you realize how spot on Bale's portrayal of Dicky is. OTOH, you're always pretty aware of him as an actor, and he's scary skinny. Wahlberg never appears to be acting, he is just a natural and the part of Micky fits him perfectly. The actor who IMHO deserves an Oscar is Melissa Leo, who plays their mother Alice.

[Linda in sw va]

Knight and Day - grade A - hilarious! We all sat and watched it twice over the holidays. Love the action flick/romantic comedy combo. Tom Cruise played his part very well and so did Cameron Diaz. I may buy this one.

Linda
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"The Bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues and tinges, and every cover is a door that turns on magic hinges." ~ Nancy Byrd Turner

[merryweather]

[maggie b.]

Inception
2010
B

Imagine a world where you are able to enter another's dreams -- and steal their secrets. The danger - what if you can't wake up?

Great concept, wonderful cinematography but something wasn't quite perfect. Good but not great.

Highlight to read: Did anyone else catch the hints at the end of the film that he HADN'T awakened?

The children in the same exact position/same size in yard?
The fact that he didn't come back in the water, like he was supposed to?


What did you think? Did he make it?

Tron Legacy
2010
D-

Worst plot ever. The pretty lights did not distract me from the bore fest and silliness that was the world of an 80's video game.

True Grit
2010
A

Loved this true to the book remake of a the Oscar winning John Wayne film. Well acted, terrific cinematography, terrific script - impressive.

maggie b.
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http://maggiebbooksandteas.blogspot.com
She is too fond of books and it has turned her brain. - Louisa May Alcott

[LeeB.]

[JMM]

IIRC, the top stopped spinning and fell over; so he did come back.

[JamiSings]

My coworker got a free trial membership for the Blockbuster movies by mail thing and offered to get me some movies I've always wanted to see that aren't available in the library system.

So yesterday and today I watched Blacula and Scream Blacula Scream. Some nice 70s blaxplotation with vampires.

Some thoughts -

William Marshall is really rather sexy.

After years of having to put up with guys who wear their pants so low the waist is around their knees, untrimmed facial hair, and greasy hair - the men's fashions of the 1970s are really hot. They all look like they have good hygiene and the waist of their pants is actually at their waist. My heart is filled with lust for 70s men and their properly worn pants.

I'm totally in love with the purple shoes that Tina is wearing the first time she runs from Blacula. I've tried to find some screen shots as there's several closeups of her shoes as she picks up speed - but no luck. I WANT THOSE SHOES!
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~Jami~

[jebe]

I feel like it's been All Greek Gods All The Time! at my house lately. My latest movie viewing has been:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief, 2010

It's a retelling of the Perseus story in a modern, teenage setting. Although I didn't know that going into it, I just thought it was some Harry Potter rip off, thank God my son was around to enlighten me (in a very condescending tone, I might add). I saw this last week when it debuted on HBO. I found it entertaining enough, but I think its target audience (teens-preteens) probably liked it a lot better than me. As I was watching it, I kept thinking of Clash of the Titans b/c the story seemed to be the same, what a coincidence, right?
Then, this week's movie was, wait for it....yep,

Clash of the Titans the 2010 version.

Very fast moving, the story stayed true to the original and the special effects were great. God love you Aussies for sending Sam Worthington our way, he's quite the man's man, isn't he? Although, I must say that I'm still partial to the Harry Hamlin version...and did anyone see the mechanical bird in the update? I miss that little thing! I think it's just me, but I just don't buy Ralph Fiennes in these evil-type roles. He's really ruined the HP movies for me and when he appeared as Hades in CotT, I laughed. It's a shame b/c he was truly diabolical inSchindler's List...I just don't know why he doesn't work for me in other evil-type roles.
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Why put off til tomorrow what you can put off until next week?

[Niftybergin]

[quote="merryweather"]

[PamelaM]

[quote="Niftybergin

[xina]

Despicable Me I'm not much of a cartoon fan when I'm not watching with children, but this movie was very cute. Really enjoyed it.
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"As you wish"
~The Princess Bride