Shame (2011)
★★★★½
Gut wrenching. Brilliant. A honest look at addiction and sibling relationships.
Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)
★★★★★
Wow.
Elizabeth Olsen is breathtaking as a woman caught up in a cult and her struggle to integrate back into the "real world" after escaping. A thrilling paranoia filled drama.
The American (2010)
★★★★½
After watching THE SMURFS, I had to wash that bad taste out of my mouth. I chose THE AMERICAN and did it hit the spot.
THE AMERICAN was marketed as an Action flick. It's not. It's a slow paced, character study on the life of a hitman. Clooney is awesome. The direction is subtle and wonderful. Loved it.
Moneyball (2011)
★★★½
Jonah Hill's horrible "serious" acting almost derailed the film more me. However, the story and Brad Pitt helped elevate things.
Black Book (2006)
★★★★½
I consider this one of Paul Verehoeven's best "legitimate" films. He's usually known for over-the-top flicks like ROBOCOP, TOTAL RECALL or STARSHIP TROOPERS, but I loved his take on WWII. There are the Verehoeven over-the-top flourishes with sexuality in this film, but it coincides with the plot and characters. The end of the film gets a bit lost, but overall BLACK BOOK is a wonderful film.
Dolphin Tale (2011)
★★★½
My daughter had been asking to see this so I gave in one night. Surprisingly, I'm very glad I did. Dolphin Tale is a sweet, well done family movie that actually tugs on heart strings. All the actors are on top of their game, the kids are especially great.
Highly recommended for families. Watch this instead of crap like Zookeeper.
Soul Surfer (2011)
★★★½
SOUL SURFER is a well acted (for the most part) and inspirational story about real life surfer Bethany Hamilton and her struggle with losing an arm to a shark attack.
The story is well written, the lead actors are all great, even Kevin Sorbo! My only issue is with Carrie Underwood being in the movie. She's supposed to deliver some inspirational dialogue and every one of her lines falls flat.
However, AnnaSophia Robb is stellar as Bethany Hamilton. I'll admit, I was emotional quite a few times during the film.
SOUL SURFER is an excellent family drama. Charming, emotional and aims to inspire. It succeeds in spite of it's missteps. Also, the real footage show at the end of the movie is almost more affecting than the entire film.
Scarface (1983)
★★★★★
A classic. Gets better each time I watch it. Looks fantastic on Blu Ray!
The Myth Of The American Sleepover (2011)
★★★★½
Very little that can be considered "true" regarding teenagers ever comes out of Hollywood. We get movies like AMERICAN PIE or KIDS that paint kids as sex-driven idiots. The truth is, most of us weren't the insanely horny or deathly tortured teens that plague most modern Teen-centric films. We were clumsy, insecure, awkward, full of new feelings and searching for acceptance.
David Robert Mitchell's THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER is the most realistic and honest look at what it's like to be a teenager that I've ever seen. Set in the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan the film follows a handful of teenagers on their last night of the summer. Most of these kids are about to start their first day of high school as Freshmen, so they celebrate their last night of freedom with "sleepovers." The girls are having a sleepover, while the guys insist they are just "hanging out." There is also a small subplot involving a former Senior searching out a possible missed opportunity from the school year.
At it's core, THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER is a small glimpse into the teenage emotional experience. The writer/director bravely leaves out all social technology such as cell phones and computers and we're left with the core of the teenage social experience.
Filled with young actors, most of them first time actors, THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER features 2 of my favorite performances of the year. Claire Sloma and Amanda Bauer give the films most centered and strongest performances. Claire plays Maggie, a girl who feels her summer has gone by without any attention from boys and is determined to fine love on this last night of summer. Amanda is Claire, new to town she has spent the summer dating a soon-to-be senior, she's invited to the sleepover in hopes to meet new friends. Both performances are charming, funny and poignant bringing a sense of innocence and naivety to their roles. More so than most the other young actors.
Everyone else is serviceable, but most suffer from inexperience. However, the script is so honest and well written it's easy to overlook these aspects. THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER is a wonderful little film. Charming, poignant and funny it brings an honesty rarely seen on the screen.
See it in LA at the Nuart Theater this week and On Demand everywhere else. Please seek this film out, it's well worth it.
Read a much better written review by Trevor Schoenfeld over at Schofizzy Movie Reviews.
