Month: October 2011
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All this useless pondering: The Tree of Life
The Tree of Life – 2011 Written and Directed by Terrance Mallick Starring Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Sean Penn, Joanna Going, Hunter McCracken “The nuns taught us there were two ways through life – the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you’ll follow. Grace doesn’t try…
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The Office: Episode 143 – Spooked
The Writer – Carrie Kemper Directed by – Randall Einhorn A brief synopsis – Erin is organizing the Halloween party, in hopes to spark something with Andy again. Andy, hoping to keep Robert impressed, changes the party from “PG to PG13,” much to Erin’s dismay and confusion. Jim battles with the notion that his wife Pam believes…
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Forgotten Gem: Mao’s Last Dancer
Mao’s Last Dancer – 2009 Directed by Bruce Beresford Starring Cin Cao, Bruce Greenwood, Joan Chen, Kyle MacClachlan, Wang Shuangbao, Amanda Schull, Ferdinand Hoang Written by Jan Sardi, based on the autobiography by Li Cunxin There’s a point early in Mao’s Last Dancer when young Li Cunxin, is missing home badly. He’s been selected from his small…
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Monte Carlo: Gomez has fun just slightly off the beaten Disney path
Monte Carlo – 2011 Directed by Thomas Bezucha Starring Selena Gomez, Katie Cassidy, Leighton Meester, Catherine Tate, Andie MacDowell, Pierre Boulanger, Cory Monteith Written by Bezucha, April Blair, Maria Maggenti, based on the novel Headhunters, by Jules Bass Doppelganger. Whenever this is the basis of your film, you can safely adjust your expectations. This is…
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Green Lantern is darkened with too many writers, effects
Green Lantern – 2011 Directed by Martin Campbell Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett, Tim Robbins Written by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim, Michael Goldenberg There is an easy theory to have with movie making. After 2, the more writers you get for a film, the more trouble you have.…
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Zookeeper: Kevin James is the scream queen for fat guys
Zookeeper – 2011 Directed by Frank Coraci Starring Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Mark Wahlberg, Leslie Bibb, Joe Rogan, Ken Jeong, with the voice work of Sylvester Stallone, Cher, Nick Nolte, Adam Sandler, Maya Rudolph, Bas Rutten Written by Nick Bakay, Rock Rueben, Kevin James, Jay Scherick, David Ronn It took 5 writers for this movie.…
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Horrible Bosses is not nearly as bad as it’s title
Horrible Bosses – 2011 Directed by Seth Gordon Starring Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Donald Sutherland Written by Michael Markowitz, John Frances Daley, Jonathan Goldstein In the ever perfectly fitting placement of poor Hollywood screenwriting, three high school friends find themselves stuck between a rock and…
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The Conspirator reveals a dangerous tipping point in our country’s history
The Conspirator – 2010 Directed by Robert Redford Starring James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Kevin Kline, Justin Long, Danny Huston, Alexis Bledel Written by James D. Solomon “…I too, hold sacred our rights, counselor. But they count, not at all, if our nation ceases to exist.” These words from Secretary of…
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Red State is a right turn in the career of Kevin Smith the director
Red State – 2011 Written & Directed by Kevin Smith Starring Michael Parks, John Goodman, Kevin Pollak, Melissa Leo, Stephen Root, Kerry Bishé, Michael Angarano, Nicholas Braun, Kyle Gallner When one considers the downward spiral that Kevin Smith’s career has taken lately, it can’t help but be noticed that it was with an obvious state of…
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The Beaver shows that nobody wants to be alone
The Beaver – 2011 Directed by Jodie Foster Starring Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence Written by Kyle Killen I have never pretended to understand depression. Not many people lately have tried to understand Mel Gibson. I have been quite interested in understanding him since his groundbreaking directorial début so many years ago in Braveheart.…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 