Son of Rambow

Starring: Bill Millner (My Boy Jack (2007) (TV)), Will Poulter (Cronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), Ed Westwick ("Gossip Girl")

Written & Directed by: Garth Jennings (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

Plot: A sheltered young boy, having never been allowed to watch a movie in his life, finally sees his first one (First Blood) and becomes obsessed with it. He joins forces with a young, ambitious filmmaker to make their own sequel titled Son of Rambow. Soon everyone wants to be involved.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zL6w5xmKl8

Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQrwsc2nulg

Review: A lesson in gorilla film making. These kids are geniuses. They use every possible free moment of their time and every resource possible, like using wood shop to make props. This is one of those classic movie in a movie films. You see the filmmakers' stories as well as the finished product. I laughed the entire movie and then found myself quite moved by the underlying message. I wish I knew these kids in middle school. They are the coolest kids I've ever seen. This movie was brilliant. It's not a kid's movie but rather an intelligent movie about kids. It's one of very few movies that don't treat kids or portray them as stupid which I appreciate. These are real kids with real problems that use their imaginations, spirit, and determination to make something great in their lives. The gorilla style film making is the true gem of this film. These kids have no budget so they make do with what they've got and pull off some pretty amazing stunts and feats by thinking outside of the box. This movie should be shown in all Intro Film classes to teach the students about ingenuity. Great film. Highly recommended.

Rating:

Writing-A

Acting-A

Directing-A

Music-A

Cinematography-A

Editing-A

Costumes-A

Art Direction-A

Hair-A

Makeup-A

*** Stars

The Last Station

Starring: Oscar Winner Helen Mirren (The Queen), Oscar Nominee Christopher Plummer (The Lake House), James McAvoy (Wanted), Oscar Nominee Paul Giamatti (Sideways)

Written & Directed by: Indie Spirit Nominee Michael Hoffman (The Emperor's Club & One Fine Day)

Plot: Based on the novel by Jay Parini. The last year of writer Leo Tolstoy's life.

Trailer:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7rNR3OT3Pw

Review: Lush, beautifully acted period piece focusing on the last year of Tolstoy's life. Tolstoy wrote such classics as War and Peace and Anna Karenina. He was also a Christian philosopher, with many devoted followers, whose works inspired both Ghandi and MLK Jr. In the later years of their life together, some of his followers moved to his estate to help him get his Christian teachings out to the world. These followers/employees and the plans that they had for Tolstoy began to clash with that of his wife. At the core this is a movie about the lifelong love between a husband and wife, and the struggle of an old man to follow his heart instead of listening to his employees. The only fault that this movie had was in its subplot. Hoffman tried to parallel a love story between Tolstoy (Plummer) and his wife (Mirren) with a romance between Tolstoy's assistant (McAvoy) and a fictitious house worker. It took the focus away from the real plot by providing a fictitious and insulting romance with a very unlikeable female. The real-life assistant was a devoted Tolstoyan who remained celibate his entire life who would never betray his idol/employer by breaking the specific no sex rule in Tolstoy's house. Uggh. Thankfully that part was relatively brief. I also have to mention the amazing acting by Giamatti in a role I've never seen him in. This film is a biopic, romance, tragedy, and comedy all at the same time and does so almost flawlessly. I highly recommend this film.

Awards:

Academy Awards, USA
Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2010	Nominated	Oscar	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Christopher Plummer
			Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Helen Mirren
Independent Spirit Awards
Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2010	Nominated	Independent Spirit Award	Best Director Michael Hoffman
			Best Feature Chris Curling Jens Meurer Bonnie Arnold
			Best Female Lead Helen Mirren
			Best Screenplay Michael Hoffman
			Best Supporting Male Christopher Plummer

Rating:

Writing-B

Acting-A

Directing-A

Music-A

Cinematography-A

Editing-A

Costumes-A- I love the countess's hats.

Art Direction-A

Hair-A

Makeup-A

*** Stars

Bad Seed at Warner Robins Little Theatre.

“Bad Seed” a thriller by Maxwell Anderson, from William March’s novel The Bad Seed.

The scene is a small Southern town where Colonel and Christine Penmark live with their daughter, Rhoda. Little Rhoda Penmark is the evil queen of the story. On the surface she is sweet, charming, full of old-fashioned graces, loved by her parents, and admired by all her elders. But Rhoda's mother has an uneasy feeling about her.

When one of Rhoda's schoolmates is mysteriously drowned at a picnic, Mrs. Penmark is alarmed. For the boy who was drowned was the one who had won the penmanship medal that Rhoda felt she deserved. One of Broadway's outstanding hits. "It is solely and honestly meant to entertain…As purely purposeful diversion it ranks with 'Dracula' and sometimes sets your spine to as much tingling…chilling." NY Telegram.

Play dates: Evening performances: July 2-3, 8-10, 15-17, 2010 at 8:00 pm with Sunday Matinee: July 11th, 2010 at 2:30 pm

Reservation lines (478-929-4579) are open each Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm beginning June 28th through July 17th for the run of the show

Tickets are: $15 adults, $10 groups of 10 or more (payable in advance)

$12 Seniors, Military, & Students (MUST have ID)

EVERY THURSDAY: 2 FOR 1 SPECIAL

BUY ONE TICKET AT $15 GET THE SECOND TICKET FREE

Location: Warner Robins Little Theatre (478-929-4579)

502 South Pleasant Hill Road, Warner Robins, GA

Crazy Heart

Plot: An aging alcoholic country singer gets inspired to write again after falling in love.

Trailer:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0349E7kFEM

Starring: Oscar Winner Jeff Bridges, Beth Grant, Oscar nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Oscar winner Robert Duvall (Tender Mercies).

Review: I'm not usually a huge country music fan, but some of this music including "Weary Kind", that won the Oscar, is really good. This movie is also really good. Bridges was very believable in this role that won him an Oscar. He and Gyllenhaal are actually very believable together despite the age difference. I think that's what's most important for this film, that the actors are believable and the music is good. You really feel for or root for Bad Blake (Bridges) and sincerely want him to put his life back together. You also want the love story to work out as well. This movie isn't all melancholy either. There are quite a few funny moments with Bridges, these moments usually involving alcohol. This is great film making. I'm not sure if it's a keeper, but I would've paid for a matinee ticket.

Awards:

Academy Awards, USA
Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2010	Won	Oscar	Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song Ryan Bingham T-Bone Burnett For the song "The Weary Kind".
			Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Jeff Bridges
	Nominated	Oscar	Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Maggie Gyllenhaal

Independent Spirit Awards
Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2010	Won	Independent Spirit Award	Best First Feature Scott Cooper (director/producer) Robert Duvall (producer) Rob Carliner (producer) Judy Cairo (producer) T-Bone Burnett (producer)
			Best Male Lead Jeff Bridges
	Nominated	Independent Spirit Award	Best First Screenplay Scott Cooper

Rating:

Writing-A

Acting-A

Directing-A

Music-A- Farrell and Bridges both did their own singing.

Cinematography-B

Editing-A

Costumes-B

Art Direction-A

Hair-A

Makeup-B

Visual Effects-B

*** Stars

Happy Tears

Plot: Two sisters return home to deal with their sick father and get into some funny, unexpected situations.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otsSvWhmFKk

Starring: Emmy Nominee Demi Moore [If These Walls Could Talk (TV)], 2 Time Indie Spirit Nominee Parker Posey (Broken English), Oscar nominee Rip Torn (Cross Creek), Emmy Winner Ellen Barkin [Before Women Had Wings (tv)], Indie Spirit Nominee Celia Weston (Dead Man Walking).

Written & Directed by: Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee Mitchell Lichtenstein (Teeth)

Review: I'd recommend watching the trailer before reading this review (there's a link at the top of this post). Happy Tears did not make me cry happy tears, but did make me laugh a few times. This is not your typical indie family-centric film. It has some humor and whimsy to it which I appreciate. It has well-fleshed out characters as well as funny plot points. Laura (Moore) and Jayne (Posey) have to take care of their father (Torn) who is starting to show signs of dementia. These two sisters are completely different. The older one Laura is the responsible one while the younger one Jayne is the flighty, spoiled one. This is pretty typical in these types of family-centric films, except the audience gets to literally see what's going on inside the head of Jayne. She being the naive, sheltered one plays out in fantasy sequences inside her head. With this being a well-written indie film, it is explained why she is like this. You really understand these two characters. The problem is I really didn't like either of them by the time I got to know them. I didn't like any of the characters for that matter. I did laugh throughout this film. Torn was hilarious with his bouts of dementia induced antics, the fantasy sequences are amusing, and Posey is charming (at least until her character becomes less than). I would recommend this film as a rental because it's unique in it's approach to a story we've all seen before and I laughed some, but I personally never want to see these characters played out again.

Rating:

Writing-B

Acting: A

Directing-A

Music-A

Cinematography-B

Editing-B

Visual Effects-A

Art Direction- B

Hair-A

Makeup-A

Costumes- A

** Stars

When in Rome

Plot: A museum curator visiting Rome for her sister's wedding, takes coins out of the fontana de amore and unwittingly becomes the object of affection for the owners of said coins.

I did not include the trailer this time because the trailer is deceptive. She does not take the coins out of the fountain to find love. She gives a different reason in the movie that I will not give away.

Starring: Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Oscar winner Angelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor), Emmy nominee Will Arnett ("30 Rock"), Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Alexis Dziena, Keir O'Donnell, Bobby Moynihan, Indie Spirit Nominee Lee Pace (Soldier's Girl (TV)), Oscar nominee Danny DeVito (Erin Brockovich), Emmy nominee Don Johnson ("Miami Vice").

Directed by: Mark Steven Johnson (Ghost Rider)

Written by: David Diamond & David Weissman (Old Dogs)

Review: A great premise loses it's magic. I love Italy, I love fantasy hybrid films, and I love the premise if this film. It just didn't have any magic. The biggest disappointment was the lack of chemistry between the leads. Individually Bell was funny. Duhamel, however, just isn't a very good actor. I've never been impressed with his performance in any movie I've seen him in. I was hoping this movie would change my mind. It didn't. I don't know what the director was thinking. The suitors were for the most part were obnoxious caricatures of other people. Heder's parody of Chris Angel would've been hilarious three years ago, but now seems passe. Danny DeVito seemed desperate for a job with the exception of one of the final scenes in the film. Shepard was doing a great impersonation of Owen Wilson (a part he probably only got because he's dating Bell). Will Arnett, however, was refreshing and at times charming. Huston & Moynihan were hilarious, as usual, in unfortunately small parts. These laughs, however, were very few and far between. The majority of the humor came from lots and lots of physical comedy in the form of klutziness. The entire film someone was falling, tripping, dropping, or knocking into something. The vase breaking scene was the only time it worked. Lest we not forget "the speech". There are always speeches in romance movies. Typically there are two, maybe three. One: the final admission of feelings Two: some wise usually older character gives pearls of wisdom to a lead character that makes them change their mind about something, i.e the lesson of the movie. Speech two, the lesson given by Bell's serial marrying father who knows absolutely nothing about love, commitment, or marriage gives a horrible speech that made my ears bleed. In short, a few funny supporting characters, a nice premise, and a great ending that seemed to be the only breath of fresh air in this movie. A new script (keep original ending intact) and almost entirely new cast would've been needed to fix this promising but ultimately disappointing movie. Some nice scenery in Italy. I would recommend this film as a one time rental simply for the ending.

Rating:

Writing-C

Acting: D

Directing-D

Music-C- wow let's put Jason Mraz music in a romantic comedy, super original

Cinematography-B

Editing-D

Visual Effects-D

Art Direction- A

Hair-C

Makeup-B

Costumes- B

** Stars for the premise and a great ending

9

Plot: A rag doll named 9, awakens in a post-apocalyptic world to find machines have destroyed all humans.

Official trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnoJecu9e7c

Voices by: Oscar nominee Christopher Plummer(The Last Station), Oscar Winner Martin Landau (Ed Wood), Oscar Nominee John C. Reilly (Chicago), Saturn Award nominee Crispin Glover (Willard), Saturn Award winner Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings:Return of the King), Oscar Winner Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind).

Review: Visually stunning adult animated film. It was like Terminator in an alternate universe. The film was amazing to look at with a few, dare I say, scary moments, but it never really pulled me in. It was like a long jump cut to a really awesome video game. It makes me think the video game to this film must be amazing. The story-line wasn't very original and the characters weren't very developed. A few of the actors were ill-cast in their roles. Elijah Wood and especially Jennifer Connelly (who I think is a fantastic actress usually) were kind of vanilla. I could hardly even recognize that it was Connelly. Christopher Plummer was amazing, however. Lastly, the ending was very anti climactic with a lot of unanswered questions. I would still recommend this movie for the fact that visually and in terms of genre, I had never seen anything like this before. Just don't expect too much in terms of writing.

Rating:

Writing-D

Voice Over: C

Directing-A

Music-A

Cinematography-A

Editing-A

Animation: A

Visual Effects-A

**1/2 Stars

Shutter Island

Plot: Based on the Dennis Lehane novel, a US Marshall goes to a mental institution on a remote island to investigate the disappearance of a dangerous patient. Directed by Martin Scorsese

Official trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAZXtB80p1I

Starring: 3 X Oscar Nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond), Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize winner Mark Ruffalo (Sympathy for Delicious), Oscar Winner Ben Kingsley (Ghandi), Oscar nominee Max von Sydow (Pelle erobreren), Oscar nominee Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain), Indie Spirit Award winner Emily Mortimer (Lovely & Amazing), Oscar nominee Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April), Oscar Nominee Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children), John Carroll Lynch, Elias Koteas.

Review: Brilliant, atmospheric film by Scorsese. This film fused mystery with amazing visuals to make it kind of a metaphysical mystery or mystery fantasy hybrid. It worked. Though the film was a bit overlong, the pay off was well worth the wait. DiCaprio was in fine form here as was all of the rest of the cast except for Ruffalo. Ruffalo was nothing to cheer about here. Just about any actor could have played his part. Filled with flashbacks & dream sequences, this film delivers punch, creepiness, story, and well constructed characters. It takes you on a roller coaster ride that spits you out on the other side, weathered, worn, and scratching your head. It makes you look back at everything you just saw and analyze it. I love these kind of films that stay with you after it's over, that give your brain a workout. It's thrilling, smart, original, and visually stunning.

Rating:

Writing-A

Acting-A

Directing-A

Music-B

Cinematography-A

Editing-B

Costumes-A

Art Direction-A

Hair-A

Makeup-A

Visual Effects-A

***1/2 Stars