The Enchanted Cottage (1945)

Movie quotes:
"You’ll always be beautiful to me."
- Oliver (to Laura)

At a glance:
This simple parable about inner beauty and love is told with elegance and grace

Our review (with spoilers):
Boy, did they know how to make movies back then! No complicated plots, no pyrotechnics, no messing with the timeline – just a very simple and elegant parable about how it’s what’s on the inside of a person that counts, and not one’s outward appearance.

Laura (Dorothy McGuire) is a sweet, ‘homely’ girl without a family who is taken in by Mrs. Minnett (Mildred Natwick), a widower who owns and occasionally rents an old cottage in the small town. The cottage is all that is left of a once large castle that was owned by a British nobleman. The castle burned down, leaving one wing intact. This quaint wing had, by tradition, been lent to newlyweds. Now, Mrs. Minnett is ready to rent again. A young couple, Oliver (Robert Young) and Beatrice (Hillary Brooke) are about to be married and plan to spend their honeymoon there. But when Oliver is called to war and is shot down and disfigured, their marriage plans end. Oliver returns to the cottage by himself to hide away, but he is healed by the kindness of Laura and the guidance of neighbor Major John Hillgrove (Herbert Marshall), another war veteran who lost his sight in action.

Oliver and Laura’s friendship leads to marriage. Their bond, originally more for convenience, increases in intensity and sincerity until the two newlyweds see an amazing physical transformation in themselves. Laura becomes as beautiful as a movie star, and Oliver’s disfiguration disappears. At the same time, they become happy, confident, and unburdened. Their fantasy is briefly shattered by Oliver’s overbearing mother, but with John’s help, the two lovers quickly realize that their true gift is how beautiful their love makes them feel to each other.

Movie making in this period was not only about entertainment; it often was a gentle way to give advice or teach important life lessons. That is the inner beauty of this film. It may not be perfect, but its heart is beautiful.

Rating: 3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"John Cromwell’s moving romantic fable celebrates the transforming power of love but also exposes the disfiguring force of pity."
- J. R. Jones (Chicago Reader)

Catfish (2010)

Movie quotes:
"They used to tank cod from Alaska all the way to China. They'd keep them in vats in the ship. By the time the codfish reached China, the flesh was mush and tasteless. So this guy came up with the idea that if you put these cods in these big vats, put some catfish in with them and the catfish will keep the cod agile. And there are those people who are catfish in life. And they keep you on your toes. They keep you guessing, they keep you thinking, they keep you fresh. And I thank god for the catfish because we would be droll, boring and dull if we didn't have somebody nipping at our fin."
- Vince Pierce

At a glance:
This documentary explores the hidden secrets behind a Facebook friendship between a New York photographer and an eight year old girl from Michigan

Our review (with spoilers):
Nev, a New York photographer, has a dance photo published in a major magazine. Soon after, he receives a wonderful painting of his photo in the mail. The painting was done by Abby, an eight year old girl from Michigan. Soon Nev is corresponding virtually (through email, Facebook, and Twitter) with Abby, her mom Angela, and her sexy half-sister, Megan. Nev and Megan are mutually attracted and begin an on-line relationship, with both of them looking forward to the day when they can meet. Megan, also a talented artist, uploads a couple of songs written especially for Nev. But an internet search reveals that the songs were written  and sung by somebody else. Soon Nev discovers that all the talk of Abby’s various successful gallery showings were also fabricated. Nev is stunned and angry, but since he is now in the middle of a documentary about the whole situation, he agrees to go to Michigan to find out exactly what is real and what is not.

Soon Nev finds out what astute viewers might suspect: there is only one person behind this ruse that exists: Angela. She did the artwork; she changed her voice to be Megan, and she did the paintings. Nev and crew spend a day with her, and then Nev gently confronts her and gets most of the true story. Angela, her dreams shattered and her life burdened by the care of her new husband’s two extremely retarded twin boys, escaped into multiple personalities and used fragments of herself in her youth to woo Nev.

For his part, Nev is grateful to find out, and somehow these two people form an unlikely (Facebook) friendship. But the pain in their eyes is unmistakable.

This is a wonderful documentary, created on a very low budget. Based on social media, it makes clever use of Google Earth and Google Maps to augment the story. There is a small niggling factor that this may not be completely what it seems – why did they start filming so early in the story? – but the film-makers swear that it is 100% true.

Rating: 3.5 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"The great thing about Catfish is the compassion it shows towards everyone involved. It tries to reach an understanding of the truth but without mocking or judging."
- Allan Hunter (Daily Express)

The Presence (2010)

At a glance:
A woman’s idyllic cabin retreat is haunted by ghosts and by her past

Our review (with spoilers):
Imagine the most boring movie ever – just watching The Woman (Mira Sorvino) as she tinkers around by herself in a log cabin with no electricity. She makes tea. She listens to an old Victrola. Every time she uses the outhouse, a dead bird is thrown against it. And just so it isn’t completely boring, there a pale guy watching her all the time. She can’t see him, and he has the pallor of a dead person. We get about 35 minutes of this, until finally The Woman’s Boyfriend shows up, uninvited and unannounced (there’s no boat sound or anything). This is supposed to be a scary moment, I think. They have zero chemistry, but I believe that is by design. Despite this, The Man proposes to her and she accepts, although immediately after, he almost falls down a cliff and she drops and loses the ring while saving him. Things go downhill from there. She suddenly becomes moody and detached. He keeps making food and coffee that she does not ingest. She just wants to work and he would like someone to speak to. All the time, Dead Guy watches and does…nothing! Finally, we find out the source(s) of her mood: she was abused by her father as a child, and now, an evil spirit is whispering things in her ear and she is listening. I’m going to stop right there and not tell more of this plot, as it is making me relive this horribly boring film yet again. Let’s just say a couple more things happen near the end but I congratulate any marathon runner viewer that can make it that far. One thing I will add – and it is my only positive – the ending had a lovely little  - you could almost call it a twist but it is more of a concept revealer – that shows that this idea could have been much more successful if it was filmed with a bit more passion and movement.

Rating: 1 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"Woman with personal issues goes to a remote place in the woods somewhere to spend some time alone in the cabin she spent her summers as a child. What she doesn't know is that there is some guy (which we the audience can see) who looks like something between a department store mannequin and crew member of the starship Enterprise haunting the place. He does this by standing and staring or sitting and staring. Maybe about 20 minutes in, or so, he swivels an eyeball to the side. Then about 40 minutes in he becomes less like a mannequin and more like crew member of the Enterprise looking for a way to get back to his ship.

I was intrigued when the movie started and I saw the ghost sitting or standing staring. --Right off the bat; just like that; no preamble; as is usually NOT the case with most ghost stories. "Hmm.....this is a different approach", I say's to myself, "Let's see where it goes". I believe I already told you where it went for 40 minutes."
- Boloxxxi (IMDB user review)

A Perfect Getaway (2009)

Movie quotes:
Nick: [handing her the ring] This is for you.
Gina: Holy crap.
Gina: Did you get it from the store in Honolulu?
Nick: eBay.
Gina: How long have you had it?
Nick: Year and a half.
Gina: A year and a half? Well what were you waitin' for you dumb bastard!
Nick: The right moment...
Gina: Baby, you are a man in full.

At a glance:
Maui locations, clever twists, and a sense of humor elevate this thriller about a newlywed couple threatened by killers on their honeymoon

Our review (with spoilers):
Hawaii is so beautiful that you could enjoy your honeymoon there, even if you were being stalked by a killer couple at the same time.

This is what is happening to Cliff (Steve Zahn) and Cydney (Milla Jovovich). Their jungle overnight hike is populated with weird couples, some friendly, some threatening. Things get tense when news reaches them that a honeymooning couple was murdered in Oahu. Cliff and Cydney seem to suspect eccentric Nick (Timothy Olyphant) and Gina (Kiele Sanchez), but there are others as well who seem to be even more likely suspects. There is some squeamish but cartoonish violence, and it’s obvious that the creators have a kind of morality that is old-fashioned and appealing.

A Perfect Getaway never takes itself too seriously, yet it has plenty of tension and action. The Maui locations are fantastic, the more so for me, as I was just recently in Hawaii and it was great to go back, even under these circumstances. The acting is great, right across the board, which is a sure sign of good direction. Lovely to look at and fun to watch, this is not a great film: just a very good and entertaining one.

Rating: 3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"It works because it's smart, knows it's smart, announces to us that it's smart - then backs off and lets the suspense and dark comedy mix."
- David Cornelius (eFilmCritic.com)

Cropsey (2009)

At a glance:
A compact, focused documentary about a string of child murders on Staten Island in the 1980s

Our review (with spoilers):
Staten Island, New York, the dumping ground the city’s garbage (and for corpses from mob hits) also was somewhat of a dumping ground for deviates, perhaps – or maybe they just had their fair share. In the mid 1980s, one or more of these crazed people was kidnapping and killing children. Their preference was for kids with mental handicaps. If the killer was Andre Rand, the man arrested and convicted of two of the murders, then the reason was that he felt that the children were not wanted and that they were better off dead. Rand’s crazed ideas were formed because he worked for a time at a horrific mental institution and saw this first hand. Rand may or may not have been the killer; he never admitted to it, and the body of the second girl (and of the other murdered children) was never found.

Directors Barbara Brancaccio and Joshua Zeman capture the sense of community on the island by using new and archival footage. Their vigilant efforts to interview Rand showcase their dogged documentarian pursuit of facts.

Rating: 3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"Brancaccio and Zeman don't offer any easy answers, merely throwing all of the many issues of the story of Cropsey into a melting pot of danger, terror, and secrecy."
- Brian Tallerico (Movie Retriever)

Girl 27 (2007)

At a glance:
The corruption of 1930s MGM studios is revealed in detail in this story of a young dancer who is violated at a stag party

Our review (with spoilers):
In 1937, in the midst of a crushing recession, the fiefdom called MGM studios was still turning a huge profit. They rewarded their army of salesmen with a lavish party. Besides liquor and entertainment, the salesmen were gifted with hundreds of dancing girls, many of them underage. The girls, who thought they were answering a stage call for a movie set, had no idea that they were also expected to entertain these gentlemen. One of the girls, seventeen year old Patricia Douglas, was raped by a salesman named Don Ross. This in itself was probably not that unusual at the time in this male-dominated, studio-dominated corner of the world. But Douglas chose to fight against the studio. She faced an uphill battle, with so many people in the area either employed by or dependent upon MGM (including the district attorney, her own lawyer, and the man who discovered her and her attacker and later recanted his testimony).

Her life was derailed dramatically by this incident. Three loveless, frigid marriages produced a daughter whom she could not talk to or be close to at times. She hid her story for 65 years until documentarian David Stenn patiently wooed it out of her, and with his persistence brought her friendship – and the vindication of truth. Using archival footage and personal interviews, Stenn places the incident in the context of the time, when a woman’s reputation was ruined completely by rape.

This style of personal, one-on-one documentary (as also seen in Winnebago Man) provides a truly fulfilling film experience. The documentarian’s relationship to the subject becomes a secondary but important player in the story.

Rating: 3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"This stunning expose of Hollywood's buried scandal is a revelation about the movie industry's influence, and a well-documented backgrounder on Hollywood's 'casting couch' attitude towards women."
- Jennifer Merin (About.com)

Red Hill (2010)

At a glance:
A classic modern-day western with horror overtones, Red Hill brings an Australian backcountry flavor to the genre

Our review (with spoilers):
This modern day Australian western appears to be ultra-conservative – so much so, in fact, that one begins to suspect there will be a major twist. A small town in outback Australia is cold toward young policeman Shane (Ryan Kwanten) who has recently moved from an unnamed big city to provide a more peaceful life for his pregnant wife. But on his first day, he walks into the middle of conflict. The Inspector, played by a scenery-chewing Steve Bisley, is adamant about preserving the old town values like free use of the land, and is against things like new age business nature preserves. The normal, quiet day turns very serious when a convicted murderer breaks out of prison and heads for Red Hill. The locals all know he is coming back for vengeance, so they arm heavily. But this man, an aboriginal tracker, is more than a match for them, and begins killing them one by one.

The aboriginal man never says a word, is horribly scarred, and kills almost everyone he meets, and thus he seems way too evil – almost like a horror movie star. But there is more to the story, and it’s up to Shane to figure it out. The facts are laid out for him a bit too easily in the end – a signed deathbed confession by one of the perpetrators – but there are enough effective moments in the film that we can forgive director Patrick Hughes his occasional wide brush strokes and clichés.

Rating: 2.75 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"If Red Hill isn't quite a classic, it surely is a work of genuine passion for a genre that's unmistakable, and unkillable."
- Marc Savlov (Austin Chronicle)

The Fighter (2010)

At a glance:
Richly textured (with four Oscar-worthy performances), The Fighter is more about dysfunction and less about boxing

Our review (with spoilers):
When a story is common and its circumstances are widespread and shared, it can sometimes feel clichéd. So it is with The Fighter, a film that is more about a dysfunctional family and less about boxing. One family member - here it is boxer Micky Eklund (Mark Wahlberg) - has the talent and the salary, and the rest are hangers-on who scramble to keep their hold on the cash cow, using blood relations and guilt where necessary. Micky has always been tutored, trained, and managed by his older brother Dick (Christian Bale), who once was a boxer of some talent. The highlight of his career was knocking down Sugar Ray Leonard (before eventually losing the fight). Micky’s mom Alice (Melissa Leo) also co-manages, but Micky’s career is dove-tailing, due to bad match-ups. It doesn’t help that Micky has to get his older brother out of fights and drug-related legal jams either. I don’t think the film is clichéd – it is more that the situation is common, but it is told with directorial flair by a perfectly chosen cast.

Christian Bale inhabits his characters, and he’s on top of his game as the crack-smoking older brother. The real Dicky Eklund appears briefly at the end of the film; you can see that Bale would have studied Dicky’s mannerisms to create his own spin on the character. Melissa Leo is excellent again (and almost unrecognizable) as Alice, the dominant mother of ten children. Bale and Leo each bring a very similar energy to their roles. They do not seem to be acting – just living. Each of them won Best Supporting Oscars, and Amy Adams, who is oh so sweet-with-an-edge, was also nominated. Mark Wahlberg is quiet and solid in the lead, surrounding by these tornadoes of passion.

Rating:  3.5 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"The ring action in The Fighter is bruising enough, but it's the drama outside the ropes that will leave you reeling."
- Jason Best (Movie Talk)

Solitary Man (2009)

Movie quotes:
Ben Kalmen: You got your little jokes, you know, the Spanish thing, interests are the same, and the studying. But, um, are you getting it, you know, where it counts?
Maureen: Oh, Ben. Cheston thinks you care about him.
Ben Kalmen: This has nothing to do with him. He's never gonna know about this. Never.
Maureen: Aren't you a little old for all this?
Ben Kalmen: You're still standing here, aren't you?
Maureen: Yeah, 'cause I'm contemplating throwing this drink in your face. But I'm not going to, because I don't want Cheston to know what you just tried. So you can just walk away. Please.
Ben Kalmen: Nothing personal.
Maureen: Hey. That is it, actually. Since you asked, that's what I get from him. Something personal. Besides getting it done where it counts, which he does. Cheston and I reach each other. He's tender and sweet and smart and funny and a million things that you aren't.
Ben Kalmen: I was once, honey. It doesn't last.

At a glance:
Michael Douglas is captivating as a morality-challenged middle aged man in this solid drama

Our review (with spoilers):
Nobody plays self-centered better than Michael Douglas, and in this tour-de-force performance, he’s at the top of his game. He plays serial womanizer Ben, who was once a big player in car sales, with a string of successful dealerships and cover shots on Time Magazine and Forbes. But when middle age is in full bloom, he is unable to deal with thoughts of aging or death, and instead embarks on a quest to bed as many 19 year old girls as possible, despite being married to Nancy (Susan Sarandon). Other morals go out the window as well, and when he is caught in a business fraud, his life spirals downward.

A talented cast, including Jesse Eisenberg, Danny DeVito, Jenna Fischer, and Imogen Poots bring depth to this story, but Douglas, who is in every scene, is captivating. Despite his age, he has an amazing presence and strength; it is still believable that he could seduce women one-third his age (although this may be the last movie of this kind he can make).

Rating: 3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"You'd think Michael Douglas has played the charming cad on screen once too often, but damned if he doesn't pull it off once more in grand style."
- Moira MacDonald (Seattle Times)

Black Swan (2010)

Movie quotes:
Thomas Leroy: What's going on?
Nina: [crying] Lily! You made her my alternate?
Thomas Leroy: Well there's always an alternate. Lily is the best choice.
Nina: No, but she wants my role.
Thomas Leroy: Every dancer in the world wants your role.
Nina: No, this is different. She's after me. She's trying to replace me!
Thomas Leroy: Nobody's after you.
Nina: [crying harder] No, please believe me!

At a glance:
Darren Aronofsky creates a nightmarish reality for a perfectionist ballerina played by the lovely Natalie Portman

Our review (with spoilers):
Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina whose technique is virtually perfect. But according to choreographer Thomas (Vincent Cassel), her dancing lacks passion and is as frigid as she appears to be. Her drive for perfection means that she falls short when attempting to let herself go. Despite her shortcomings, she is able to convince Tomas (with her dancing as well as with one moment of aggression) that she is the best in the company, and against the odds she is chosen to be the Black Swan, the lead dancer. This sends her into an even deeper spiral, her drive for perfection pushing her into an area where her life and nightmares are intertwined.

As well as being threatened by her own sexuality and that of others, she has to compete with rival dancers like the free spirit Lily (Mila Kunis), who seems to be friendly but also could be plotting her demise.

Nina’s drive for perfection seems to derive from nature and nurture; her doting, bitter mother (Barbara Hershey) is a sad figure who keeps an extremely close eye on her daughter, sometimes protecting her as if she were still a child.

Director Darren Aronofsky’s strongest talent of many is his ability to create a nightmare blended with reality. He does this again here, as he did in Pi, with his protagonist almost tortured by herself and her environment. Portman is also perfectly cast as the frigid beauty. Aronofsky’s film is captivating because each moment is key – there is no filler, no wasted scenes. Every moment, movement, and word spoken is part of the story.

While the film is hard to watch at times (as is almost all of Aronofsky’s work), it is ultimately accessible and rewarding. This cannot be said of all films that are so dreamlike and artistic.

Rating: 3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"You've never seen a movie quite like "Black Swan" before. It's brazen, it's ridiculous, it's magnificent, it's human, it's unique, it's the world at its worst, it's the worst at its best - and this is why it's so weirdly compelling."
- Christopher Smith (Bangor Daily News - Maine)

Heartbreaker (2010)

At a glance:
This unique French rom-com farce about a con artist who is paid to break up couples is funny, fast-moving, and a joy to watch from start to finish

Our review (with spoilers):
Movies are littered with compassionate con artists whose hearts are in the right place. Just like the hitmen with hearts of gold, these types of people probably do not exist in real life. But I’ve got to admit I have a weakness for the sweet con artists in film. And no one could be sweeter than Alex (Romain Duris). Together with his sister and her goofy husband, their job is to use seduction to break up couples.

The film is wonderfully unconventional, and it is important that you stop reading right now if you haven’t seen it. It begins as a young woman leaves her obviously inferior fiancé by the pool. She wants to explore Marrekech and he wants to drink in a lounge chair and ogle women in wet t-shirts. She is driven to the dunes by a young man who provides medical supplies for needy children. The chemistry between them is instantaneous and strong. He doesn’t need to say much to get her to realize that her fiancé is not the right man for her. When they explore the desert dunes together and share a first kiss, this appears to be a romance film. But it ends there. Alex has done his job, and is not in this for love. The fiancé will be dumped; his mission is accomplished.

His next client is a bit more complicated. Juliette (Vanessa Paradis) and Jonathan (Andrew Lincoln) seem like a perfect couple. By masquerading as a hired bodyguard, Alex manages to get close enough to find out her foibles and fears, and in the process, he is surprised to find that he is falling in love.

Heartbreaker feels exotic if you are accustomed to Hollywood fare; Romain Duris’ scraggly beard and sneering but sincere smile are a welcome change from the leading men of Tinseltown. Light, and occasionally hilarious, it contains action, romance, glamour, and a little dirty dancing. When it ended, I felt I could have just started watching it all over again.

Rating:  3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"Manages to be such a pleasant little soufflé of a movie that it's hard not to like it on its own terms."
- Ken Hanke (Mountain Xpress - Asheville, NC)

The Resident (2010)

At a glance:
Hilary Swank’s class, Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s menace, and Brooklyn Bridge locations slightly lift a typical stalker thriller

Our review (with spoilers):
Juliet (Hilary Swank) breaks up with her cheating boyfriend and moves into an old but luxurious apartment, offered at a discount price by the seemingly sincere and innocent Max (Jeffrey Deam Morgan, a Javier Bardem lookalike). Max’s creepy uncle August (Christopher Lee) lives down the hall. August looks foreboding and Max seems harmless, but you’ve got to watch the quiet ones. Soon, it becomes evident that Max is obsessed with Juliet and moves freely in and out of her apartment, sometimes when she is away, and sometimes while she sleeps.

The Resident is beautifully photographed and the underlit to good effect, except for some of the latter stalking scenes in the walls of the old building, where it’s a bit too dark to see anything at times. Shadows cast by the night sky weave sinuous tentacle of darkness into the apartment, helping the early scenes in the film to build tension. Swank is solid, and the rest of the cast is more than competent. Morgan in particular goes from innocent to evil just by changing his expression. Lee is great as always, but his role is little more than a cameo.

I don’t watch a lot of this genre of film, so I always feel at a loss to make any kind of a comparison, nor can I get a feel for what fans of the genre will think. Personally, I liked the early use of the Brooklyn Bridge locations, but I thought the buildup was much better than the payoff, but that’s because the payoff was very typical of this type of film. I felt like it was competently executed (killer stalks woman through dark area) but had little new to offer. The resolution, in particular, has been done many times before, in slightly different variations (Juliet is trapped and feverishly smashes a window, presumably to escape, before the killer catches her. The killer then enters the room and longingly gazes out the window in what is known as the ‘wait to be crept up on’ pose). It must be difficult to create something original when so many of these types of films have already been made. Also, there was a lost opportunity to focus on the killer’s dislike of technology. He mentions that he’s not part of the Twitter crowd, and this becomes evident when he spends hours in Juliet’s apartment and completely ignores the bright message on her computer stating that there are new (security) videos to view. I also must mention a weird use of flashback early on in the film: after 20 minutes, the director rewinds the entire film in fast motion to show us some hidden plot points. It seems too soon for a refresher course, although I’m sure any memory-challenged goldfish in the audience will appreciate it.

I would love to see Swank get a role that flexes her acting muscles next time, rather than just her muscle muscles.

Rating:  2.5 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"Any ambiguity and suspense is frequently stripped by writer/director Antti Jokinen's signposting of every upcoming twist and turn. This is epitomised by a supposedly revelatory and overlong flashback sequence that occurs just half an hour into the movie and contains big snippets of scenes we've already witnessed!"
- Ben Rawson-Jones (Digital Spy)

127 Hours (2010)

Movie quotes:
"Did I say the weather is great? Well, it is. Though flash floods potential is still present. There's four-prong major canyons upstream from me that all converge in this 3 foot wide gap where I am. The rock I pulled down on top of me, it was put there by flood. Still, I'd get a drink."
- Aron Ralston

At a glance:
The versatile Danny Boyle tries his hand at filming a one-man story of survival, featuring an entertaining performance by James Franco

Our review (with spoilers):
Aron Ralston (James Franco) is an outdoor adventurer (you know, mountain biker, climber, canyoner, and general risk taker) who lives life for the rush of experience and sees little need to maintain relationships. It’s not that he’s a bad person – he just doesn’t see the value of parents or girlfriends or mates. So when his right arm is pinned benath a boulder while he is canyoning in a remote area, no one knows he is there. He spends the next 127 hours trapped, reflecting on life, and trying to use his ingenuity and limited on-hand tools to free himself.

Danny Boyle stamps the film with his inimitable style, but still allows the story to stand for itself. James Franco delivers an impressive performance. There’s some traction to be gained because this is based on a true story, but it feels too slick and well-lit to be realistic, which makes this more of a film experiment and less of an immersion in real peril. Survivor Aron Ralston is briefly featured at the end of the film.

Rating: 2.75 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"As a follow-up to Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours shows Danny Boyle at the top of his form -- it's not a story many filmmakers would want to tackle, and few would handle it as well."
- David Stratton (At the Movies [Australia])

"It doesn't matter how disarming Franco's single-handed performance is; there is simply not enough dramatic meat on the bones of Ralston's true story to distract us from where it is heading."
- Anders Wotzke (Cut Print Review)

Ballad (2009)

At a glance:
A young boy is transported back from modern day Japan to feudal times where he is befriended by a brave Samuai

Our review (with spoilers):
In modern day Japan, a young boy named Shinichi (Akashi Takei) is transported back to feudal times. Befriended by brave Samurai Iriri (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi), he is soon embroiled in a war between rival houses. At stage is the beautiful Princess Ren (Yui Aragaki), who loves Ijiri but may have to end up with a brutal warlord Takagora (Mitsuru Fukikoshi). Ballad has limited production values, but it hides these behind a strong story and dedicated acting.

From what I can tell, Ballad is/was a TV movie in Japan. It is geared toward a family audience, and although that is evident, it does not condescend. At a little over two hours, it perhaps overstays its welcome slightly; the final one-third contains a lot of posturing and is glacially paced, but part of this may be a cultural thing – there is, I believe, a need for all this posturing, and this film is not made for an international audience.

Rating: 2.75 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"I liked the way the past meets the future in "Ballad" — with lively curiosity, but otherwise not a lot of fuss."
- Mark Schilling (The Japan Times)

Rubber (2010)

Movie quotes:
"You probably never gave it a moment’s thought, but all great films, without exception, contain an important element of ‘no reason’. And you know why? Because life itself is made up of tons of ‘no reason’."

At a glance:
Rubber twists the crazed killer horror theme by casting a malevolent tire in the lead role

Our review (with spoilers):
A tire awakens in a dump and becomes alive. Starting with baby steps, it soons learns to self-propel. It becomes evident that this tire has only one purpose – to kill everything it encounters. But it also yearns for companionship, and perhaps more – it spares a young woman it initially tried to kill, and instead watches her from a distance.

Also watching is a group of observers – an audience living in the desert, without food or water, who are given high-powered binoculars so they can watch this ‘movie’ as it unfolds. After a full day without food, their minder tosses them a cooked turkey to fight over. Soon, all are dead from food poisoning, except for one wheelchair-bound stalwart who seems wise to the motives of the movie creators.

To say Rubber is an original film would be a vast understatement. Starting slowly, it looks like it will strive for an ‘artsy’ approach. But this supposed ‘homage’ to the ‘no reason’ which is a part of all great films is also a semi-serious horror parody. Never has a movie been more dedicated to being self-aware. Rubber subtly and not-so-subtly takes shots at sheepish audiences, horror films, and actors. It doesn’t say much for your typical action/horror hero when they can be replaced by a steel-belted radial.

Rubber is not hilarious, nor is it perhaps as inciteful as it thinks it is – it’s brimming with self-satisfaction, and seems to be laughing as it tells its joke. But any flaws are amply covered by its exhilarating originality.

Rating: 2.75 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"It's an inventive, silly film when it hits a demented stride, supplying a fascinating blend of bloodshed and ludicrousness, making for a memorable romp with a most improbable killer."
- Brian Orndorf (BrianOrndorf.com)

After.Life (2009)

Movie quotes:
Eliot Deacon: It's only a hole in the ground. It's for...
Jack: Miss Taylor.
Eliot Deacon: Exactly. For Anna. She belongs here.
Eliot Deacon: Because she's dead?
Jack: No, because there's no life left in her.

At a glance:
There’s a great concept (about life and afterlife) and a stellar cast buried within this plodding, illogical film

Our review (with spoilers):
Anna (Christina Ricci) is a detached young woman who is unhappy for an unexplained reason. Her attitude is negatively affecting her relationship with her boyfriend Paul (Justin Long). After an argument, Anna drives at night while crying and wakes up in the morgue. Although she seems to be breathing, speaking, and walking around wearing a lovely little satin undergarment, the undertaker (Liam Neeson) keeps assuring her that she is dead, and he is there to ease her from life into death.

The bottom line is that this is all boring. We don’t know anything about Anna’s backstory other than she is depressed. And she’s frustrating to watch, because every time she has a chance to do something, she backs down. Stab the undertaker with scissors? Talked out of it. About to escape out the door (twice!)? Changes her mind. She yells often in the film, but the one time she does not say anything: when Paul is just outside the door, banging on it after just having yelled her name a few times. All of this behavior is trying to fool the audience into thinking she is dead, but (and yes, don’t read ahead) she is actually alive, so it’s all a big joke and her behavior makes no sense. She does not pee or poo or get hungry or thirsty. All of these would have been proof that she was alive. So the scriptwriter simply leaves them out.

After.Life is another one of those films that would end in five minutes if any one of the characters did anything rational. For example, at a conciliatory dinner with her boyfriend, Anna storms out in anger when she finds out he is being transferred to Chicago. Paul is trying to tell her that he wants her to come with – this is obvious to everyone but Anna not only from his body language but also from his tone of voice – but the movie conspires to make it impossible for him to impart that vital piece of information. Of course, if he did, she wouldn’t get into the car accident, and they had to get her to the morgue (while blaming her temper and her boyfriend for putting her there, I suppose). In another laugh-producing scene, Anna steals the mortician’s keys. When he leaves in his van, she begins cycling through them, trying to get out. Instead of systematically trying each key, she tries to force them and manages to break one in half. Even given this ridiculous behavior, how long does it take to try 20 keys in a door? As she tries, it is intercut with Eliot at a graveyard, then driving to get gas, and paying the attendant. She had time to calmly try 100 keys during this period.

On the positive side, there’s no denying that director Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo is technically exquisite. Each scene is filmed with careful attention to detail. And of course I applaud her for getting Ricci to take all her clothes and spend much of the movie that way.

Rating: 1 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"But toward the end, when we realize that the entire reality of the film is problematical, there is a certain impatience. It's as if our chain is being yanked."
- Roger Ebert

Passenger Side (2009)

At a glance:
Quiet, gentle, and rewarding, Passenger Side is a character study of two brother who share little more than blood

Our review (with spoilers):
Passenger Side cruises along the roads of the greater LA area, as two brothers, a study in contrasts, go on an all day tour. Toby (Joel Bissonette) is looking for Linda, a former girlfriend who wants to get back together. Michael (Adam Scott) is driving him from acquaintance to acquaintance. As is often the way with family, these are two guys that we’re pretty sure would not be in the same car together if they were not related. Toby likes to live on the edge; he’s a recovering alcoholic who has a few weird friends – like the tranny who gets into Michael’s car and proceeds to get off. Toby has a serenity that is fully lacking from Michael’s personality. Michael is almost depressed, troubled, almost catatonic. He doesn’t hate life but the most you could say is that he is tolerating it. His low self-esteem is masked but evident. Occasionally, Michael stops to leave a message for his girlfriend, who never answers the phone.

This severely naturalistic buddy movie is unique in that it is a pure character study, driven totally by a need to slowly reveal who these two people are and what they mean to each other. Scott has a relaxed charm in his acting that always masks suppressed anger and perhaps confusion. Bissonette, for his part, feels even more relaxed. These guys almost transcend acting. They are simply living, and, like real life, complications sometimes ensue. It’s a quiet, minimalist film that nonetheless has the ability to touch with its sparseness and heartfelt emotion.

Rating: 3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"An intriguing and funny ride that doesn't hit you over the head trying to be one thing or another."
- Jim Slotek (Jam! Movies)