Best Lead Actress 2016

05. Hailee Steinfeld in The Edge of Seventeen - Teen comedies don't get enough credit, nor do the performances that come from them, but this is an iconic performance. Steinfeld may look like a supermodel in real life, but she pulls off awkward and angsty teen so, so well.

04. Meryl Streep in Florence Foster Jenkins - Overrated, she is not. In fact, Streep is arguably (not really) our greatest living actress, and this movie sort of proves why. Here she plays the world's worst opera singer, and while the movie isn't exactly groundbreaking or amazing, she heightens it to being entertaining and charming.

03. Amy Adams in Arrival - Adams can do no wrong in my book, and she is mesmerizing as a linguistic expert who is struggling to communicate with an alien race in the smartest sci fi movie of the year.

02. Emma Stone in La La Land - I was just having a conversation about Emma Stone. The person said he doesn't take her seriously as an actress because most of her work has been comedic. I disagree. I think no one else could have played this role except for Emma, with her pitch perfect comedic timing and adorable charm. She can sing! She can dance! She can be cute and sexy and is endlessly lovable! What can't Emma do!?

01. Sasha Lane in American Honey - I honestly can't believe this girl never acted before. Her performance and screen presence is absolutely mesmerizing. She is a force of nature, a wild child, a spark of light. This movie is nearly 3 hours long but  I would have watched 3 more hours of her.

Best Supporting Actress 2014

05. Carrie Coon in Gone Girl - For being a moral compass, the only reliable character, and a complete scene stealer. For her spitfire delivery while being honest, hilarious and wise. For expertly spewing brutal truths about her sister-in-law.

04. Laura Dern in Wild - For her aching empathy and sweet, tender performance. For being the ghost in the memories of her daughter. For that scene of her singing in the kitchen.

03. Emma Stone in Birdman - For her verbal acrobatics. For switching emotions like switching gears in a car. For those big, beautiful eyes and look of amazement in the final scene.

02. Patricia Arquette in Boyhood - For being the steady, quiet, all-encompassing heart at the center of the story. For showing the fortitude and strength of single mothers.  For nailing the line, "I'm a poor white with a big house."

01. Rene Russo in Nightcrawler - For portraying a woman of a certain age who is striving and clawing and determined to stay relevant and vital. For her steely exterior and her fierce control. For her questionable ethics. For being seductive and enticing and fearful and fearless. For that frightening romantic dinner scene.

Birdman

Somewhere along the way, this year became a very good year for movies. I've been thinking for months that it's been a disappointing year, but that isn't the case. The fact that this is a very good year snuck up on me. But here we are, almost in December, and Birdman is damn near a masterpiece, and it's not even my number 1 movie of the year. It might actually be number 3 (I can't decide if I liked it slightly more or slightly less than Gone Girl). And so that's where we stand in 2014 - an almost masterpiece barely breaking into the top 3.

Birdman is the story of Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton), a one time movie star who got his money and fame by starring as an action hero in a series of Birdman movies. But that was the mid-90s. Now he is washed up and trying to prove his merit by adapting a pretentious Raymond Carver story for Broadway. He also may or may not be crazy, as he keeps hearing the voice of Birdman talking him up and sometimes tearing him down. On the day before the play is set to go into previews, the co-lead gets injured, forcing Riggan to hire Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), a hot tempered method stage actor. Rounding out the story are Naomi Watts as Leslie, a co-star in the play as well as Mike's girlfriend,  Emma Stone as Riggan's fresh out of rehab daughter, Amy Ryan as Riggan's ex-wife, Zach Galifianakis as his long suffering lawyer and Andrea Riseborough as Riggan's possibly pregnant co-star girlfriend.

Let's get the little bit of bad news out of the way first - Riseborough's character is terribly underwritten and feels like she isn't three dimensional enough to even belong in this film. Also, there is a particular occurrence that I won't spoil but feels completely out of place and unnecessary.  Also, there is a point about three quarters of the way through where you are either going to give up completely or just decide to go with it. And I went with it, man. I would follow this movie anywhere it took me because it's damn brilliant.

First of all, the way Birdman is filmed is brilliant. It looks as though it is one long continuous tracking shot without any cuts. I have never seen anything like it and if Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu doesn't win Best Director at the Oscars then I give up on films. This movie looks amazing and, sure, the one take tracking shot thing could feel like a gimmick but it never does. It never feels anything less than a stunning, dizzying effect. This is a smart, artistic, philosophical film that deals with big questions about growing older and love and family and what it's like to feel like you are nothing in this crazy world. It's also a biting satire about actors and filmmaking and the instant celebrity, social media obsessed world we live in. This isn't a comedy by any means, but it is darkly funny and highly enjoyable.

All the hype about Michael Keaton in his big comeback role is totally on point. He is amazing as the washed up has been struggling with his own mortality. But why is no one talking about Edward Norton? He absolutely kills it, stealing scenes and creating a complex and nuanced character. Just when you start to forget about how awesome he is, he shows up and gives a hell of a performance to remind you. (Sidenote: Remember how much he killed it in Primal Fear??). The biggest problem with the movie, in fact, is that Norton's Shiner disappears three quarters of the way through. Another stand out is Stone, whose facial expressions alone are perfection, how she can so easily go from angry to regretful or worried to amazed.

Overall,  I can't say enough positive things about Birdman. It's not perfect, but it is one of the most wholly enjoyable, awe inspiring films I have seen in a very, very long time. Bravo.

Grade: A

Friday Top Five - Most Anticipated

I know I have sort of been M.I.A. lately and that's mostly because there just aren't very many movies I am interested in playing right now. But all that is about to change. With September, comes the good movies, the awards hopefuls, the prestige pictures. So, here's a list of the top 5 films I'm looking forward to in the rest of 2014.
Note: I excluded This is Where I Leave You even though I am very excited to see it (loved the book, love the cast). However, it comes out in just a few short weeks so I thought I would clear the way for something that isn't coming for a while.

05. Unbroken
Stars: Jack O'Connell, Jai Courtney, Garrett Hedlund
Director: Angelina Jolie
Plot: The true story of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II.
Thoughts: I honestly had no interest in this based on the few articles I've read. Then I saw the trailer before Boyhood (imo, the best part of Boyhood were the trailers!). And now it's one of my most anticipated movies of the year. Not only does it look like this man led an extraordinary life, but also virtual newcomer O'Connell looks like he gives a tour de force, star-making performance.
Release Date: December 25

04. Foxcatcher
Stars: Steve Carrel, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo
Director: Bennett Miller
Plot: Based on the true story of Mark Schultz, an Olympic wrestler whose relationship with sponsor John du Pont and brother Dave Schultz would lead to unlikely circumstances.
Thoughts: The buzz is unreal with people talking non-stop about the go-for-broke, fearless performances from the cast, all playing against type. I mean, Miller is kind of a genius. He's the guy who got us to look at Jonah Hill in a completely new and exciting way. Also, Miller's resume is short, but kind of perfect - Capote, Moneyball. I'm all in.
Release Date: November 14

03. Inherent Vice
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Reese Witherspoon, Jena Malone, Benicio Del Toro, Owen Wilson, Eric Roberts.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Plot: In 1970s Los Angeles, a druggie cop investigates the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.
Thoughts: Honestly, who even cares about plot when you look at that thoroughly impressive cast? Anderson doesn't just direct movies, he directs masterpieces. Among his flawed masterpieces are There Will Be Blood and The Master. Both of this films aren't perfect, but are so close, it hurts. One of these times he is going to truly make a masterpiece and until then I will see everyone of his films.
Release Date: December 12

02. Birdman
Stars: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone.
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Plot: A washed-up actor who once played an iconic superhero must overcome his ego and family trouble as he mounts a Broadway play in a bid to reclaim his past glory.
Thoughts: The trailer for this movie looks absolutely bonkers, but if any movie is poised to make Michael Keaton a legit star once again, I'm more than excited for that. I love Michael Keaton and all the buzz on this movie says it is his best performance ever. Plus, I love weird, unique movies. This is one I am definitely too excited for.
Release Date: October 17

01. Gone Girl
Stars: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Kim Dickens, Patrick Fugit, Neil Patrick Harris.
Director: David Fincher
Plot: Come on guys, we've all read the book, right??
Thoughts: First of all, Gillian Flynn has quickly become one of my favorite writers. Second of all, this book was pretty perfect with a main character so twisted and flawed and complex and fascinating. Third of all, and really, the only thing that even remotely matters, this is a David Fincher film, and David Fincher is perfect. If ever a book was made for a director, it's this book and this man. His movies are already twisted and dark, and he is just going to nail this... I can feel it. My anticipation has been growing ever since he signed on for the project and in less than a month, we'll finally be able to see his latest masterpiece.
Release Date: October 3

Halfway Point of 2014

At the mid-point of 2014, I must say that, overall, I am pretty disappointed with the movies released this year. I have only seen a few things that I thought were good, and nothing that has really wowed me. Usually around this time of year, I release a Best of the Year so far sort of list, the actors and movies that deserve recognition, but probably won't make it to my end of the year list. So, here it is, but keep in mind that this year is sort of below par, at least so far.

Best Actor
01. James McAvoy in X-Men: Days of Future Past
02. Jason Bateman in Bad Words
03. Kevin Costner in Draft Day
04. Oscar Isaac in In Secret
05. Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow

Best Actress
01. Emily Blunt in Edge of Tomorrow
02. Rose Byrne in Neighbors
03. Kristen Bell in Veronica Mars
04. Elizabeth Olsen in In Secret
05. Shailene Woodley in Divergent

Best Supporting Actor
01. Bryan Cranston in Godzilla
02. Nat Wolff in The Fault in Our Stars
03. Dane DeHaan in The Amazing Spider-man 2
04. Michael Fassbender in X-Men: Days of Future Past
05. Jai Courtney in Divergent

Best Supporting Actress
01. Jessica Lange in In Secret
02. Scarlett Johansson in Captain America: The Winter Soldier
03. Emma Stone in The Amazing Spider-man 2

Best Film
01. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
02. Edge of Tomorrow
03. Godzilla
04. Bad Words
05. 22 Jump Street

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

I remember an article I read about George Clooney a few years ago and he said something that struck me as sort of genius. I don't remember the exact phrasing, but it was something along the lines of this: You can make a bad movie from a good script, but you can't make a good movie from a bad script. This seems like the sort of easy, simple advise that every young actor or actress should be following. Still, somehow, a movie as big budgeted as The Amazing Spider-Man 2 somehow falls into the latter category - an atrocious, messy, terrible script. Now, all of the actors involved in this movie are great and more than up to the challenge, so they sort of help make the movie raise to a level of mediocrity, but mostly this is a mess of a movie.

The good news is, director Marc Webb seems more up for the challenge this time around. I genuinely liked his first take on the film and although it was a retread of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film from less than a decade earlier, I thought everything about Webb's version was superior. However, it seemed like he was in over his head. And why wouldn't he be? Before that, he'd only directed a quirky little indie romance movie (500 Days of Summer). This time around, you get the idea that he knows what he's doing. The action sequences, especially the opening flashback to the last moments in the lives of Peter Parker's parents, are fresher and more exciting to watch. But, of course, Webb is much more comfortable with the romance aspects of the movie and if you have chemistry between your leads the way this movie does, you should exploit it as much as humanly possible. Unfortunately, Andrew Garfield's Peter / Spider-Man and Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy spend most of the movie apart. The film opens with Spidey running late for his high school graduation. It seems he is fighting the forces of the Russian mob, led by Paul Giamatti, who will return later in the film. When he finally gets to the graduation, we are allowed only glimpses of the absolute, almost too much to handle adorableness of Garfield and Stone before they call it quits.

Next, we enter into a little superhero movie problem called TOO MANY VILLAINS. There is the aforementioned Giamatti, who will return as Rhino. Then there is Jamie Foxx and his take on Max Dillon turned Electro. Now, there was a lot I didn't necessarily like about this performance, including but not limited to the decision to have a sort of heavy metal demon sounding voice eminating from the heavens whenever Electro thinks or talks or whatever. I am assuming this is a comic book reference, or at least, I hope to God it is, because if not, it's a pretty stupid decision. However, I do find myself relating more to this character than a care to admit - an absolute nobody, invisible, forgotten, ignored and unloved. The man who has no power whatsoever suddenly blessed with all the power in the entire world and what does he do? He lets his anger get the best of him. And who can blame him really? I always liked that aspect of Spider-Man villains, the way they all just seem to be misunderstood. What I don't like is that they all seem to have a grudge against Spider-Man personally. Why not just fight because you are a villain and his is a hero? It doesn't always have to be, "That damn Spider-Man... I'll get him because he didn't remember my name and he was mean to me!"

And then there's the saving grace of this giant mess of a film. And, no, I'm not talking about the chemistry between Garfield and Stone, although that is out of this world. I'm talking about Dane DeHaan and his take on Harry Osborn / Green Goblin. Yes, another villain. But DeHaan isn't just another actor. He reminds me so much of Leonardo DiCaprio and not just because he looks like a young Leo. It has to do with the searing star-making intensity that DiCaprio had in those early roles in What's Eating Gilbert Grape and This Boy's Life. DeHaan has the same thing and he steals every single scene that he is in, and he almost makes this whole, big, giant mess worth watching. Of course, you have to wait about an hour before his privileged rich brat shows up, but once he does, it almost makes it all worth it. It almost makes up for the terrible dialogue and the messy sub plots and the ridiculous "Because Science!" reasoning behind everything. It almost makes up for me sitting through this mess in 3D, because, you know, if there ever was a superhero movie that should be in 3D it's Spider-Man. But very few movies actually need to be watched in 3D (exceptions: Life of Pi, Hugo, Gravity). DeHaan is brilliant as Osborn and even though this movie is already way too over stuffed and way too long, I wanted more of him. In the first trilogy, they spent three movies tracing the complicated friendship between Peter and Harry. Here it is all boiled down to three rushed scenes.

The final act sort of tries to turn things around. The last big fight scene in the clock tower is pretty spectacular and Webb really does a great job with it. Even the things that happen that I won't spoil are totally effective and well done. But, really, it's too little, too late. DeHaan is great. The chemistry between Garfield and Stone is great. But the rest is all mediocre.

Grade: C

DVD Reviews

Time to get caught up with the movies from 2013 that I missed in theaters earlier this year. Well, "missed" is a relative term, I guess.

Parker
Starring: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez
Plot: A con man / thief done wrong by a group he went in on a job with goes after said group to get revenge.
Thoughts: This is a pretty basic Jason Statham movie. That being said, if the script had been tighter or the direction a little more aspiring, it would have been a much better, cooler movie. I watch whatever movies I can from any given year so I have a well-rounded opinion of the best and worst at the end of the year. This was quite a bit better than I was expecting.
Grade: C-

Snitch
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jon Bernthal, Susan Sarandon, Barry Pepper
Plot: A business man becomes a crusader for the DEA when his son gets arrested for drug possession. In order to get him out of prison, he must deliver a much bigger fish.
Thoughts: Listen, I don't know if it's because I miss Bernthal (Shane) on The Walking Dead, or if The Rock is sort of my guilty plesaure (I find him mind-boggingly sexy and charming), but I actually sort of enjoyed this movie. It's not good, per se, but it is, at the very least, fun.
Grade: C+

Broken City
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Kyle Chandler, Barry Pepper, James Ransone
Plot: An ex-cop turned private eye is hired by the mayor to prove his wife is cheating on him a few weeks before the re-election that he's losing.
Thoughts: The second movie in a row that I watched at home starring Barry Pepper in which he was the best thing in the cast. With all these heavy hitters in the cast (and actors I genuinely love - Chandler, Pepper, Ransone, Alona Tal), I thought that perhaps this movie fell through the cracks on my radar. How can all these people go so wrong?? (Confession: I watched this soley for James Ransone who was in it for approximately 4 minutes. Don't make the same mistake).
Grade: D+

Beautiful Creatures
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emma Thompson, Emmy Rossum
Plot: A witch, who has about three months before it is decided whether she will be a good witch or a bad witch, falls for a mortal before against the wishes of her cray-cray family.
Thoughts: Boy was this movie fun!! It's not good but at least it doesn't take itself as seriously as those Twilight movies. It sort of reminded me of Obsessed from a few years ago, a movie with which I was obsessed. (A character in this movie utters the line, "Stay away from my boyfriend, WITCH!"). Oh, it's so bad, it's good! But on a serious note, Ehrenreich makes the whole thing worth watching. He is going to be a star. He reminds me of a young Jack Nicholson, which his big grin and endless charm.
Grade: C+

Gangster Squad
Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Mackie, Michael Pena, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte
Plot: In 1949 Los Angeles, a group of vigilante cops band together to take down mob kingpin Mickey Cohen.
Thoughts: Here is how I think this movie got such an enviable cast. Sean Penn gets the script and he reads the first five pages, right up until he says that he gets to say a line like, "I'm God so you might as well swear to me." He's pretty excited about this and fails to read the next hundred pages. Josh Brolin hears that Sean Penn signed on so he does as well. Ryan Gosling hears both Penn and Brolin are in this movie, and signs on as well. I'm convinced none of them actually read the script. This is a great role for Penn, who knocks it out of the park, but he's the only reason to watch this mess.
Grade: D+

Friday Top Five - Zombie Movies!

Last week, I counted down my Top Five Superhero Movies in honor of the very bland and disappointing (read: BAD) Man of Steel. This week, in honor of World War Z (which I'm super psyched about and hope it doesn't disappoint me), I'm counting down my Top Five Zombie Movies.

5. Planet Terror (2007, Robert Rodriguez)
Planet Terror was the first half of 2007's badass awesome Grindhouse (the second half was Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof, also great, in a different way). Technically, it is a zombie movie but I forgive you for forgetting that. You may have been distracted by Marley Shelton's needle wheeling nurse. Or Freddie Rodriguez's bad ass, kick ass character. Or, more likely, Rose McGowan's stripper turned one legged victim turned hero with a machine gun leg. Planet Terror is over the top, for sure, but all Rodriguez movies are and that's what makes them so damn fun.

4. Dawn of the Dead (2004, Zack Snyder)
I'm no fan of Zack Snyder's. To me, he is too manic, too style over substance, too visual without regard for plot. His other movies (including Watchmen, 300, Sucker Punch and last week's hot mess Man of Steel) have all disappointed me or angered me in various ways. But his remake of Dawn of the Dead is the best thing he's ever done. He manages to capture the intensity of a zombie attack and still make us care about these character stuck inside a mall fighting for their lives. It's the first time his style worked perfectly with the movie he was trying to make and Dawn of the Dead manages to be even better than the original, which doesn't happen very often. Perhaps it's that whole sequence with the pregnant lady turned zombie giving birth to a zombie baby that has something to do with it.

3. Zombieland (2009, Ruben Fleischer)
Zombieland proved you can make a funny zombie movie successfully (although I hear Amazon's attempt at making a TV version of this movie failed miserably). Perhaps it was the absolute perfect cast: ultimate badass Woody Harrelson paired with two of the hottest up and comers at the time: Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg. Or maybe it was the pitch perfect script that managed to mix laughs and wit with seering action and great zombie kills. Or it also could have been that extended Bill Murray cameo which would probably top the list if I made a best cameo Top Five list.

2. 28 Days Later (2002, Danny Boyle)
The Walking Dead sort of ripped off the beginning of this film: Cillian Murphy's character awakes in a hospital, seemingly alone, unaware that the end of the world has taken place while he lay inside. It's a great premise and Boyle at his absolute finest nails the empathy and emptiness of this post-zombie attack scene. I haven't seen this movie in quite a few years and it's not as fresh in my memory as I would like, but just making this list makes me want to Netflix it and relive how I felt while watching it the first time- which was utterly devastated. Plus, you can't top that heartbreaking ending.

1. Night of the Living Dead (1968, George Romero)
You just can't top the classic. Without Romero's quintessential iconic zombie movie, we would never have had any of these other zombie movies. As far as movie making is concerned, Romero invented zombies. He certainly changed the landscapes of horror movies in particular, and movies in general, when he released his black and white opus, with (GASP!) a black man as THE hero! That, along with just about everything else Romero did in this film, was utterly unheard of in 1968. This man is an icon of horror film for a reason.

Summer Movie Survey

One of my favorite blogs to read about films on line is The Film Experience. Recently, he featured a few different people answering a series of questions about their summer movie going experiences. I thought I'd steal borrow the survey and fill it out myself. Here goes...

Best Movie I Saw This Summer:
The Dark Knight Rises. I'm realizing not everyone loved it as much as I did, but I thought it was a perfect wrap up to the best superhero trilogy of all time. It was a thrilling, intense, dark, but ultimately uplifting film and I couldn't have loved it anymore.

Thing I Actually Learned (at summer movie camp!):
That maybe I was too quick to jump on that whole Blake Lively can really act bandwagon after her turn in The Town because she was certainly the weakest link in Savages.

Major Summer Crush:
Oh, where to start?? Michael Shannon in Premium Rush. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in The Amazing Spider-man. Charlize Theron in Snow White and the Huntsman. The entire cast of Magic Mike.

Moment I <3 So Much I Thought My Heart Would Burst:
Beasts of the Southern Wild - Hushpuppy running through that infectious party scene with sparklers. So much beauty, innocence, hope, freedom.

Princess Merida, Katniss, or Hawkeye?
I'm a sucker for Jennifer Lawrence and The Hunger Games so Katniss all the way. We need more strong female characters being represented in young adult films. Women who have to fight for survival and not just lament having to pick over a boring vampire or an even more boring werewolf.

If Only "Hulk" Had Smashed...
Whoever thought that terrible ending for Premium Rush was a good idea. Way to (almost) ruin a perfectly fun late summer movie.

Mash-Up ~ Summer Movie Characters I'd Like to Introduce (and why):
Giovanni Ribisi from Ted and the cast of Magic Mike, because, even though I hated Ted, I loved Giovanni and his super sweet dance moves deserved a much better show case. Girls like skinny semi-creepy dudes, too, you know!

Rank the Magic Mike Strippers:
1. Magic Mike (Channing Tatum)
2. Dallas (Matthew McConaughey)
3. Ken (Matt Bomer)
4. The Kid (Alex Pettyfer)
5. Big Dick Richie (Joe Manganiello)
6. Tito (Alex Rodriguez)
7. Tarzan (Kevin Nash)

At Least the Theater Was Air Conditioned:
Ted. I think I laughed once, although I can't for the life of me remember why.

Best Old Movie I Saw For The First Time This Summer:
Oldboy. What the hell took me so long?? It was FANTASTIC!

Line Reading That Stuck in My Head:
It's a movie that isn't released yet, but I've seen the trailer so many times and I think it might be the best line of the year... "Why don't you do what old men do - and die." -Joseph Gordon-Levitt from the upcoming Looper.

Catching Up on Summer Movies

So, I sort of temporarily abandoned blogger but it was only because, for some reason, it wasn't allowing me to update. It looks like that might be fixed now so I have returned. In my absence, I was trying to keep up with things over on tumblr. If you want to read my recent full reviews go here: http://thiscinephile.tumblr.com/. For now, however, I will just post little quickies to get up to date.

Rock of Ages - Very similar to Burlesque but without the awesome performances courtesy of Cher and Stanley Tucci. The story of a young girl who tries to make it in Hollywood in the 80s, Rock of Ages was a huge success on Broadway. Julianne Hough has potential. She can dance and sing and act (her level of talent goes in that order too) but lacks any sort of chemistry with Diego Boneta, who also has absolutely no charisma whatsoever. Catherine Zeta-Jones is a titan of the musical world (Chicago) and takes a one-dimensional, slightly annoying role and proves why she is a superstar. Russell Brand and Alec Baldwain are forgettable at best. Paul Giamatti manages to give a great performance in the role of an unlikeable jackass. Then there is Tom Cruise. If you are going to see Rock of Ages, go see it for Tom Cruise. I'm not his biggest fan. But as Axl Rose clone Stacee Jaxx, Cruise, who makes his entrance in assless chaps, is all in. His dedication to this character is ridiculous and he parades around this movie like a peacock, so showy and vain and just damn good. The music in the movie is super fun (and there's a lot of it), but ultimately it's just a Tom Cruise vehicle. Somehow, this movie just didn't jive for me. Something was lacking and missing. Grade: C+

Magic Mike - Under the direction of Steven Soderbergh, Magic Mike becomes so much more than a movie about male strippers. The dialogue is rich and flows realistically. It's also genuinely funny and has a lot of heart. The filmmaking is just great and I especially loved the way the film seemed so vivid at night, but was sort of muted and washed out during the day, looking how you feel with a hangover. The performances are great, as well. Channing Tatum, this is story is based on his life, is clearly the best dancer and is so charming and charasmatic that he just keeps begging his haters to find faults with his seriously improved acting. Cody Horn is a great find and has great chemistry with both Tatum and Alex Pettyfer. Saepking of Pettyfer, this is his finest performance to date (especially during his second half unraveling) and proves he is much more than a pretty face. Then there is McConaughey, so dirty and grimy and slimy and hilarious as the perverse father figure of this group of lost boys. All in all, I loved Magic Mike. Soderbergh and this talented cast created a film that is downright good. Grade: B+

Ted - It seemed everyone in the audience with me loved this movie. I did not. Ted wasn't completely without laughs but mostly I found it boarish and just plain boring. I don't feel like rehasing a negative review so head over to Tumblr to read the whole thing if you want. Grade: D-

The Amazing Spider-Man - The film wastes a lot of time with the first act that doesn't necessarily go anywhere. The movie isn't really all that long (compared to other summer comic book movies) but it sure as hell feels like it. The best thing about this movie is Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker. He just completely nails it and you almost don't want the original trilogy to exist because this movie will always be compared to those movies and Garfield doesn't deserve that. He is extraordinary. The Amazing Spider-man is at its best when it's this cute indie love story inside this epic film. When it's at its best, I'm so glad they decided to reboot it. The 3D aspect of the film also ratchets up the fun quotient. I'm not a big fan of 3D but if there was ever a superhero who begged to be in 3D, then it's Spider-man! The other downside is that I felt cheated out of a villain. Horror movies are only as good as their villains and it takes the Lizard nearly two thirds of the movie to arrive, and then he's more misunderstood then villainous. Emma Stone is sassy and witty and adorable as Gwen Stacy. The Amazing Spider-man is, indeed, amazing. It's ultimately a fun, exciting and sweet summer movie. Grade: B

Savages - Savages was a strange kind of movie for me. It's a really well done film, both dark and gritty and kind of funny. There's sex, drugs, violence and it has an actual plot, which is pretty for a summer movie. Plus, the cast is universally pretty great. Still, I was expecting more. Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch are pot growers who are in love with the same woman (Blake Lively) and get involved with a Mexican drug cartel headed by Salma Hayek and her sociopathic goon Benicio Del Toro. The plot and script is mostly great, engaging, interesting, thrilling and intense. Some of the dialogue, however, is a bit cheesy / corny / dumb (mostly Lively's voice overs). The cinematagraphy is great as well. The major problem for me was the terrible / preposterous / ridiculous / stupid ending. Seriously, there had to be a better ending out there somewhere!! Hayek, Del Toro and John Travolta are all hammy great. Johnson is sensitive and endearing. Lively is the weak spot, of course. But Kitsch finally put his summer blunders behind him. This the kind of intense, dark, gritty work the actor should be doing, not fluff like Battleship. Grade: B-


The Dark Knight Rises - The best movie of the year, so far, for sure. It might not be as good as The Dark Knight but it's pretty damn close. There are flaws in the movie, sure, but sometimes you just have to look at the bigger picture and appreciate a movie for being so epic and entertaining. And all the good stuff, no BRILLIANT stuff, more than makes up for any nitpicky flaws you might find with the movie. My review over on Tumblr is longer and more detailed but the gist is this: Christopher Nolan has crafted a trilogy that will stand that test of tie and be revered as, probably and hopefully, the greatest superhero trilogy of all time. The Dark Knight Rises is the perfect ending to that trilogy. Grade: A-

Best of 2011 - MVP's, Directors, Scenes

MVP's of 2011
10. Cosmo! - Okay, I just needed to include him somewhere because this Jack Russell from Beginners is just about the cutest dog of all time. He even talks via subtitles!
9. Judi Dench - Her performance in J. Edgar almost made everyone forget how awful the movie was. She also stole scenes as a sweet aging actress in My Week with Marilyn and a helpful maid in Jane Eyre.
8. Bryce Dallas Howard as a villain - Okay, villain is a strong word, but Bryce brought the super bitch as a super polite racist in The Help and a cheating girlfriend in 50/50.
7. The Dark Knight Rises trailer - If you haven't watched it yet, then stop reading this and go watch it now. No, seriously.
6. The Cast of Bridesmaids - Not only did these ladies make the most hilarious movie of the year, they also kept us laughing everywhere. Melissa McCarthy not only stole the movie, but also stole the Emmy's when she won Best Actress in a Comedy. She was part of the best moment of the Emmy's, when all the nominated actresses lined the stage as if they were competing in a beauty contest. Kristen Wiig kept us laughing all year on SNL. Rose Byrne turned up everywhere - including the excellent X-Men: First Class and the awful Insidious.
5. Child Actors - This year was a fantastic year for kid actors. Hunter McCracken held his own opposite Chastain and Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life. Chloe Grace Moretz and Asa Butterfield were phenomenal in Hugo. Then there was the entire, great, amazing cast of Super 8: Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee and Zach Mills. Not to mention scene stealer Amara Miller from The Descendants.
4. Emma Stone - I love my Emma! She was adorable opposite Gosling in Crazy, Stupid, Love. She almost stole the show in Friends with Benefits. And she proved she was a bonafide box office sensation with The Help.
3. Ryan Gosling - He had the most ridiculously great second half of a year. First he showed off his crazy, stupid, sexy abs in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Then he broke up a street brawl in NYC. Then he turned violent and sexy in Drive before charming the pants off everyone in The Ides of March.
2. Jessica Chastain - Last year, I had no idea who the hell she was. This year alone she starred in The Debt, Take Shelter, Coriolanus, The Tree of Life, The Help, and Texas Killing Fields. Plus, she's all over my Top Ten Lists (coming next week!).
1. Michael Fassbender - Entertainment Weekly described him best: "Smoldering in Jane Eyre, X-Men: First Class, Shame, A Dangerous Method and our very elaborate fantasies." Really couldn't say it any better myself!


Best Scenes of 2011
10. Scream 4 - The Opening Sequence - I'm not trying to say Scream 4 is one of the best movies of the year or anything but the opening sequence (featuring Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Lucy Hale and more) is the most creative opening sequence in a series that does a hell of a good opener!
9. My Week With Marilyn - The Bedroom Scene - In which Michelle Williams manages to be sexy, vulnerable, insecure, seductive, funny, charming, and paranoid all at the exact same time. This scene alone should win her an Oscar.
8. Take Shelter - Michael Shannon Flips Out - Shannon's character is either going crazy or predicting the end of the world. All of the people in his small town think it's the former. So, when they stare at him accusingly and try to ostracize him at a fire hall dinner, he flips the hell out... and flips a table!
7. Bellflower - The Opening Sequence - Sure, you won't understand it at the time. It's a lot of very powerful images in reverse set to some haunting music. Eventually, you'll come back to all of those scenes and everything will make sense. But, the beginning of this super low budget, fantastic film sets an immediate tone that will stay with you for the entire film.
6. Drive - Elevator Scene - Ryan Gosling's strong and silent type finally kisses Carey Mulligan's sweet intentioned young mom in an elevator. However, there's a creepy gentleman in there with them and immediately after the sweet kiss, the movie turns suddenly and very seriously violent.
5. The Tree of Life - The Beginning of Time / Creation of Earth - Yes, there are dinosaurs. Yes, this minutes long segment may not seem like it fits in, except it totally does. Leave it to Terrence Malick to tie in the creation of the Earth with the very real small town life of a Texas family in the 50's. That's why he doesn't just make movies, he makes art.
4. Hugo - The Films of Georges Melies - Three quarters of the way through this great movie, we finally get to see those fantastical early movies that the toy maker made with his wife at this glass studio. And they are a love letter to old school cinema, creative and beautiful and awe-inspiring.
3. Bridesmaids - The Airplane Scene - I have seriously never laughed so hard during a movie in my ENTIRE life. Not just the funniest scene of the year, but probably of all time.
2. Take Shelter - Discussion About Opening the Storm Door - Or - Why Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain Should Win Oscars.
1. The Descendants - Alexandra Underwater - Shailene Woodley plays Alexandra King with such an ease that you almost forget she's acting. Her best moment is when she finds out her mom's coma is permanent. She's in the swimming pool and slowly sinks under the water. The camera follows her and catches her crying meltdown underwater. It's heart aching and unforgettable.


Best Directors of 2011
10. George Clooney for The Ides of March - Seriously, what can't this man do?
9. J.J. Abrams for Super 8 - He crafted the best coming of age movie of the year.
8. Alexander Payne for The Descendants - A great, funny, family tragedy.
7. Bennett Miller for Moneyball - A baseball movie with heart.
6. Mike Mills for Beginners - Could have been another cliche, but not in his hands.
5. Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris - His most creative and inspired movies in years.
4. David Fincher for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Proving, again, he's the most bad ass director in Hollywood.
3. Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive - For creating a future cult classic with style and substance.
2. Martin Scorsese for Hugo - For proving that he can make a kids movie and for making me think 3D isn't so terrible after all.
1. Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life - The movie may not be every one's cup of tea, but Malick is more than a director. He's an artist and he makes art we can watch at a movie theater.

End of Summer Mini Updates!

Quick updates on movies I've seen lately...

The Beaver - Listen, I don't like Mel Gibson - as a person, as an actor, whatever. So, his involvement may have tarnished this movie a bit for me. It's kind of a weirdly clever idea: a man gets kicked out by his wife, tries to kill himself, finds a beaver hand puppet and decides to speak through the puppet only in an attempt to make good with his family. Too bad, it just falls short. I could care less about Gibson. Foster, as his wife, is perfectly fine, if not slightly boring. Instead, it's too young stars who steal the show: Anton Yelchin as Gibson and Foster's angsty son and Jennifer Lawrence as his troubled love interest are delightful. They have fantastic chemistry and energy. If you must watch it, watch it for Yelchin and Lawrence.
Grade: C

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark - I was excited to see this movie because it was supposedly rated R for being so damn scary. There was no nudity, no gore, no bad language, none of the stuff that warrants a typical R rating. It was just supposed to be too scary for kids. I disagree. That's not to say the story isn't interesting. It's a great haunted house tale that mixes intensity and folk lore into a decent little film. However, still not scary. Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce are just fine as the couple living in an old gorgeous house with his young daughter. Then monsters begin to terrorize the daughter. And not just any monsters, tiny little monsters that are maybe a foot high and are more annoying than scary. Decent flick, but doesn't succeed at what it sets out to do.
Grade: C-

Skateland - Skateland was a welcome relief after watching two such mediocre movies. Shiloh Fernandez stars as a man in his early 20s who is living in Texas and working at the local skating rink in the early 80s. He enjoys flirting with his best friends sister (Ashley Green) and getting drunk with his friends (Taylor Handley). Then, his world begins to fall apart - Skateland decides to close, his parents get a divorce. Skateland is a great coming of age movie about coming to terms with your mortality and making huge changes in your life even if you are terrified of doing so. Everyone can relate because everyone has had that moment. Plus, Skateland has a hot, young cast and a great soundtrack. Definitely worth checking out!
Grade: B

I Am Number Four - Okay. I know. This is typical of me, sure. I sure do love movies aimed at 14 year old girls. But, look, I Am Number Four was just fine! I was expecting it to be TERRIBLE but it was actually pretty compelling, if not stupid. Alex Pettyfer (who is really too pretty to be a real person) stars as an alien on the run from a bunch of other creepier, and uglier, aliens. He and his guardian (Timothy Olyphant) move to Ohio where he is supposed to blend in so he can hide, but he instead falls for the ex girlfriend (Glee's Dianna Agron) of the troublemaker quarterback of the football team. Needless to say, his scary alien foes find him. As does Number Six, a totally bad ass Theresa Palmer. Really, I promise. It's not as bad as you think!
Grade: C

The Help - Emma Stone stars as Skeeter, a woman who just graduated from Ole Miss in the 1960s and returns home aching to be a novelist. She decides to write a book about The Help, the maids who raise white children but are eventually treated like crap by the very children they raised when they become adults. It's a great story, riveting, heartwarming and interesting. Plus, the actors are simply phenomenal. From lead performances by the ever-charming Stone and the incendiary Viola Davis to all the amazing supporting actresses: the bubbly and adorable Jessica Chastain, the cruel and vicious Bryce Dallas Howard, the quiet scene stealer Allison Janney, and the sassy lightning rod Octavia Spencer. All around, a great movie that shouldn't be missed!
Grade: B+

Ceremony, Battle Los Angeles, Crazy Stupid Love

Ceremony - Here's the thing about Ceremony: it's awfully cute at times, has a fantastic lead performance but also feels contrived. The film is written and directed by Max Winkler (the son of Henry Winkler a.k.a. The Fonz!), and it's an admirable debut film. It follows Sam (Michael Angarano), a children's book author who makes his best friend Marshall (Reece Thompson) go away with him for the weekend. However, he withholds the fact that his purpose is to ruin the wedding ceremony of the girl of his dreams, Zoe (Uma Thurmnan) to her pompous fiancee, Whit (Lee Pace). If you were going to put Ceremony in a genre, it would be "Quirky Indie Movie" and, boy, is it ever. The problem with quirky indie movies is that sometimes they try way too hard. And that is one of the problems here. For all the moments when Ceremony is brilliant and funny and poignant, it has moments where it feels fake and forced. However, Angarano's performance is so damn good that it's easy to overlook the flaws. He's simple perfection, all bravado and forced confidence and fast talking charm. He's hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. I've loved his work since his days as the young William Miller in Almost Famous and it's nice to see him grow up into these kinds of roles. I hope he sticks with the indie scene because he's too good of an actor to take shitty supporting roles in bad movies. He could grow up to be a Sam Rockwell type actor. In fact, he's sort of morphing into Sam Rockwell at times in this movie. And I most certainly don't have a problem with that.
Grade: B-

Battle Los Angeles - Oy vey! This movie has zero redeemable qualities. I can't even believe that I wasted two hours of my life on this crap. It's a badly directed, badly written, stupid sci-fi movie that wastes the considerable talent of Aaron Eckhardt. I'm not even going to bore you with a plot. Aliens take over Los Angeles. Blah, blah, blah. Lots of bad action sequences and even worse writing. Stay far away from this movie as it is a complete and utter waste of your time.
Grade: F

Crazy Stupid Love - The romantic comedy genre is lacking, at best. Two years ago, a little indie movie called 500 Days of Summer came along and completely breathed a whole new life into the genre. Crazy Stupid Love isn't quite that good, but it is definitely one of the better romantic comedies made in the last few years. First we meet Steve Carell's Cal, a man who has been with his wife (Julianne Moore) for over thirty years when one day she tells him she wants a divorce. Of course, his life begins to unravel. He starts going to bars and drinking his sorrows away. There he meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a young ladies man who takes Cal under his wing and teachers him how to pick up women. Cal seems to know it all... except when he actually begins to fall in love with Hannah (Emma Stone) and doesn't know what the hell to do. Throw in Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon, Josh Groban, and Analeigh Tipton (I still can't believe if she is the weirdest looking or prettiest looking girl of all time), and you've got yourself a fantastic cast for a romantic comedy. And it is very funny, which is a plus. You might think Carell gets all the laughs, but it's actually Gosling who all but steals the show (Stone and her awkward goofy adorableness comes in a close second). Plus, the movie just simply has heart. It's not raunchy and it doesn't try too hard to be a certain kind of movie. It stays true to itself and is very sweet. Plus, the cast doesn't hurt. The cast is actually fantastic all around and helps elevate any problems to a different level. There are a few problems, mainly the running time. It feels longer than it is. However, all in all, Crazy Stupid Love is a sweet, funny, great time at the movies.
Grade: B

Friends With Benefits / Cedar Rapids

Friends With Benefits - Yes, Friends With Benefits is pretty much the same movie as No Strings Attached that was released earlier this year. And while, No Strings Attached had a better lead actress (Natalie Portman), somehow Friends With Benefits manages to be a better movie. Is it because of director Will Gluck, who also managed to strike gold with last years infinitely better Easy A? Is it because of the killer supporting cast that bring their A-game (Goddess of the world Patricia Clarkson, Woody Harrelson, Richard Jenkins, my girl crush Emma Stone)? Who knows, but Friends With Benefits wins the war over better comedy about besties who have sex and ultimately fall in love. In this version, Mila Kunis stars as Jamie, an executive who sets out to lure Justin Timberlake's Dylan away from his blog with indie cred and into a high profile job at GQ. In the process, they become best friends and since both of them recently had their hearts broken (by Andy Samberg and a HILARIOUS Stone, respectively) they eventually decide they should have sex without feelings. It works for a while. Then Jamie breaks things off so she can date for real. She falls for Bryan Greenburg's cancer doctor but ends up heartbroken again. After a trip to L.A. to visit Dylan's family, Jamie begins to develop those deadly things called feelings. Dylan is scared, of course, because he's a man and there needs to be a third act hurdle for these two crazy kids to climb over. Needless to say, I'm sure you know how it ends. And if you said, "Giant ass flash mob at Grand Central Station," then you are right! Listen, I'm not trying to sell Friends With Benefits as the greatest movie of all time, or anything. It's not even the greatest movie I've seen this month. But it is cute and fun and funny. It's refreshing to watch a cliched romantic comedy that doesn't take itself seriously and pokes fun at itself. Kunis is endearing and charming. Timberlake is fine, although he's been so much better (Alpha Dog). Then, of course, there is that crazy good supporting cast I spoke of earlier. Clarkson and Stone steal every single goddamn scene they are in. This movie isn't without its problems, that's for sure. It's too long. It spends way too much time being boring at the beginning. And I'm not even talking about the terrible Shaun White cameo. But all in all, Friends With Benefits is a cute, sweet, little movie.
Grade: C+

Cedar Rapids - Then there is Cedar Rapids. I was actually looking forward to watching this movie since it got so much buzz at the beginning of the year. Now, all I can say is, what for?? There is nothing original about this movie. In fact, it's not even funny. I don't even think I laughed once. And this is coming from someone who loves Ed Helms so much more than she should. This dull comedy follows Tim Lippe (Helms) as he travels from his small town to the big city of Cedar Rapids to attend an insurance salesman convention. There he gets a little out of control with his roommates Deanzy (John C. Reilly, trying too hard to be a buffoon) and Ron (Isiah Whitlock Jr.). He also gets romantically involved with a married woman (Anne Heche) and a young hooker (Alia Shawkat, one of the few bright spots in this film) even though he's sleeping with his 6th grade teacher back at home (Sigourney Weaver, another of the aforementioned bright spots). All in all, Cedar Rapids is a big waste of time. It's not as bad as some of the other movies I've seen this year but it was definitely not anything special. If you are into this new trend about high strung men losing their shit and doing stupid stuff while in a strange and different land, then maybe you'll like this. But I'm over that trend.
Grade: D+

Nine Thoughts About Paper Man

1. Plot: A writer (Jeff Daniels) struggling with writer's block rents a home in Montauk to focus on his latest novel. While his doctor wife (Lisa Kudrow) is in the city during the week, he strikes up a friendship with a local loner (Emma Stone), which helps him to find a way to relate to someone. Oh, he also has an imaginary friend (Ryan Reynolds). Who dresses as a superhero. Named Captain Excellent.

2. I'm particularly jealous as I've always wished I had the monetary means to rent a house or a cabin somewhere isolated just so I could focus on writing the novel I'm struggling with.

3. Post-Pheobe, Lisa Kudrow has really begun carving a niche for herself as a sort of powerful, cold, ice queen who is capable of being both hated and loved at the same time. It's quite impressive.

4. The movie is just quirky enough, but not too quirky: living room furniture outside, a couch made of old books, a novel about a hen.

5. I particuarly enjoy Ryan Reynolds when he does movies like this - indie, low budget, dark comedy. I wish he'd stop trying to be a super hero leading man and realize he's a funny character actor.

6. Kieran Culkin does NOT make enough movies.

7. I hate when you can see a plot twist coming a mile away.

8. Girl crush alert!! Emma Stone is beyond adorable.

9. There were a lot of faults with the movie, but mostly I enjoyed it. I love that with all its quirk and off-beat humor, it was really just about finding a real, true, sincere friend.

Grade: B-

Top Ten List: Best Actress 2010

10. Carey Mulligan in The Greatest - In such an underground movie, one that not many people have seen or even heard of, it sure has some great acting by the entire cast. Best of all is Mulligan, an actress who is slowly making a name for herself thanks to last year's An Education. She's even better here as a young woman, pregnant, mourning the death of the man she loved but didn't really know all that well. She struggles to find out the most about him while dealing with his mourning family. She's simply excellent.

09. Rebecca Hall in The Town - Sure, Jeremy Renner is getting all the buzz (and rightfully so), but Hall is damn good as a bank manager dealing with being taken hostage and then falling in love (unknowingly) with one of the men who took her. The layers of her performance are so impressive, it's hard to believe she isn't a bigger more famous star at this point.

08. Olivia Williams in The Ghost Writer - Although I enjoyed The Ghost Writer, I had my problems with this film (sort of typical, right down to the male casting). However, Williams was a truly wonderful addition to the film. As the sexy and vulnerable wife of a prime minister, she steals every single scene from two men (Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan) who are far more famous than she is.

07. Noomi Rapace in The Girl Who Played with Fire - It's no surprise that I have sort of latched onto Lisbeth Salander as a character that I admire. She's badass, tough, and lives life by her own rules. I was very concerned with who they would choose for the American remake. While I'm not positive I approve of Rooney Mara, it may just be because she will never ever live up to Noomi Rapace who is pure perfection. As you can imagine, more later...

06. Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right - She may be the only person who could beat Natalie Portman at the Oscars, but she didn't even crack my top 5. Bening is good, sure. She's always good. And that's part of the problem. We've all seen her do this type-A personality role before. I don't want to take anything away from her wonderful performance but, honestly, there were better this year.

05. Julianne Moore in The Kids Are All Right - While Bening played the exact same character she always plays, Moore struck out and paved new territory as the slightly ditzy, underappreciated wife of Bening's. She's a free spirit always changing her mind about everything, including her profession. And, I mean, kudos for all those super sweaty sex scenes!

04. Emma Stone in Easy A - Since she broke out, we knew she could be the funny girl (Superbad, Zombieland). But in Easy A, she is the funny girl but also the smart girl and the sexy girl and the girl who you really want to be best friends with. She takes what could have been a cliche teen comedy character and turns her into a real person, someone you feel like you know personally. Plus, she's got perfect comedic timing, but that should be no surprise!

03. Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone - So, I didn't like this movie. I mean, I didn't hate it either but like The Kids Are All Right, I don't get all the buzz. Also like The Kids Are All Right, one thing I can't complain about is the acting (her co-star John Hawkes just missed my Best Supporting Actor list yesterday). Lawrence is a revelation. It's the sort of breakthrough role that will most certainly send her into a whole new stratosphere, playing a tough teenger in the hardened mid-West, trying to take care of a sick mom and her younger siblings, all while searching for her father amidst some really creepy and crazy people. Lawrence truly shines.

02. Noomi Rapace in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Like I said, she's the perfect Lisbeth. Rapace manages to make the most of playing the badass computer hacker with the traumatic past by basing her performance in real emotion. She's got tattoos, an intimidating stare and an "i don't take shit" expression on her face at all times, but there is something so much more behind those eyes and Rapace manages to get that across to the audience which is why she is so brilliant here. Plus, there's the way she deals with a sexual predator that will truly make you want to stand up and applaud her badassery.

01. Natalie Portman in Black Swan - Portman, for me, has always been a little rigid on film. She sort of reminds me of Nicole Kidman in that neither actress really breaks out of their comfort zone too often. But when they do (Kidman in Moulin Rouge, Portman in Closer), it's a pure pleasure. This is Portman breaking out of her comfort zone BIG TIME. As Nina, a ballerina who wants nothing more than to be perfect, she walks the perfect line between sweet, naive, soft spoken little girl and, later, a woman full of passion and danger and sexuality. Her transformation is truly impressive and something that everyone is taking about (and for good reason). As a girl cracking under so much pressure, Portman hammers it out of the park and here's hoping Oscar rewards her.

Tomorrow - Best Actor!

Easy A (DVD)

What a delightfully charming and fun movie! I had wanted to see Easy A in theaters but never got around to it. My expectations were for it to be cute and funny but I wasn't ready for how good it actually is. It's an homage to the great John Hughes films of the 90s in a way (Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, etc.) but is also a sort of modern retelling of The Scarlett Letter. Also, and obviously, it's updated for this generation with lots of references to texting and Facebook and the main storytelling technique is a webcam.
Easy A follows Olive (Emma Stone), a pop culture fast talker who is smart as a whip and also a little invisible to everyone except her best friend Rhiannon (Aly Michalka) and her freaking hysterically perfect parents (Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci, more on them later!). Olive doesn't want to go camping with Rhiannon's hippy family one weekend, so she invents a date with a college man instead. She doesn't actually have a date. Instead, she stays at home and sings "Pocket Full of Sunshine" all weekend. But when Monday morning rolls around, she tells Rhiannon she went on the date anyway. As she fabricates her fictitious weekend with an older gentleman, Rhiannon gets it into her head that she lost her virginity as well. Eventually, Olive plays along and she is overheard by the school religious freak MaryAnn (Amanda Bynes), who spreads the rumor around school that Olive is a slut. Suddenly, Olive is on the map. And she likes it! She begins to play along with her new slutty persona and is soon helping out her gay friend Brandon (Dan Byrd), pretending they had sex so people will stop tormenting him because he's gay. Brandon spreads word among the downtrodden school students that Olive will help them and soon she is the school slut. What at first seems like fun, soon turns into bad news for Olive who struggles with being ostracized and turned into an object by people who used to ignore her. Also, there happens to be a boy named Todd (Penn Badgley) who she is really into.
Typical high school comedy? Not at all! Maybe it's the hilariously fast paced, well written, super funny script. (And it is fast paced, except around the beginning of the third act where it drags a little bit). Or it could be all the excellent performances. Emma Stone is perfect. She's funny and endearing and effortlessly charming. She's genuinely likeable and someone who I would love to have as a friend in real life. She most certainly deserved that Golden Globe nomination. Clarkson and Tucci are amazing as her parents, and I would like for them to be married in real life. I would like for them to get divorced from whomever their current partners are, marry each other, and then adopt me. I can't possibly express in words how much I loved them as a couple in this movie. Thomas Haden Church also shows up as a super cool teacher, Lisa Kudrow as his slightly crazy guidance counselor wife, and Malcolm McDowell as a "fascist" principal.
All in all, Easy A is endlessly entertaining. A very funny, very enjoyable movie, and most definitely the best high school comedy that has come around in a long while.
Grade: B